Nightmares By the Sea
by Megaera80
Summary: Evangeline is kidnapped in a revenge plot against her father. Her kidnapper disguises her and makes berth on the Black Pearl until he can reach his own ship. Can she trust Jack to help? !A sneak peek at The Sequel has been added. 9/25/09 !
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pirates of the Caribbean. Blah Blah Blah. Nor to I own any of the characters within said movie. That joy belongs to Disney and Disney alone. (Why should the Mouse have all the fun? Humph!) So, please don't sue me. Blah Blah Blah.**

**Review please! This is my first attempt at a fanfic and I would love to know what I'm doing right and what I'm doing wrong. This first chapter is not completed yet. Single Mom/Full Time Job, but bear with me. I'm a fast writer. Thanks!**

_The sea is calm tonight/The tide is full/The moon lies fair. -- Matthew Arnold "Dover Beach"_

Carr's Bay, Montserrat

You've never seen the moon rise until you've seen it rise over open water. Without anything on the horizon to alter your perception, it comes up huge and daunting. Tonight, the beast sat on the horizon, bleeding. Evangeline Bryan turned to her nanny and whispered her name until the woman stirred.

"_Sarah!_"

"Yes, mum?" she answered sleepily.

"What would make the moon red like that?"

Sarah left her bed in the corner and came to the window. The moon was indeed red, it tinted the waters that lapped the beach an ominous blood-like hue. She cleared her throat and turned back to her mistress.

"Now, Miss Eva, 'tis nothing to worry your head over. Back to bed with you."

"No," Evangeline replied "If you know, tell me. Besides, I haven't yet been to sleep."

Sarah smiled ruefully at her charge. The only child of her good parents and she could be meet and obedient like a lady should. She had lost track of how many times, as a child Evangeline had been reprimanded for sneaking off and playing with the native children. As young as five she was sneaking off, or so Sarah had been told. It was at this tender age that she brought home lice and Mistress Amy was fit to be tied. Had told Master Paul exactly what she thought of this "miserable outpost" and his position here. It had been then that they had send for Sarah from Belfast so the child could have a proper upbringing. Lot of good it did them. Thirteen years Sarah had been here and Evangeline had gone from a spoiled, rebellious youth to a spoiled rebellious woman. Instead of being allowed to retire in her doddery like any good old nanny, she was forced to stay in this damned nursery still, making sure her charge didn't run off in the night like the true heathen she was. The girl needed married to a strong-handed husband and soon. Too bad most of the eligible young men on the island had been on the wrong end of the girl's scathing temper. Sarah cursed silently to herself, she had been on the wrong end of that temper as well. Lucky for her, she had one as well.

"I'm not to tell ye. Now, to sleep!"

"Does it have anything to do with where father ran off to, today?

Sarah sighed, realizing an answer, any answer would be the quickest way to sleep tonight.

"Yes, duckie. There's been a pirate ship plundering outside the harbor walls for the better part of a month. Comes and goes with no pattern. Last night it took two merchant ships. Fifty men and more gold besides lost. And silk. All that silk."

Sarah absently plucked at her plain cotton nightdress and sighed.

"Your father was asked to leave his desk post and take two ships to lie in wait. Looks like they got lucky. Filthy pirates deserve what they get."

Evangeline shivered at word pirate. Though this was the King's port and it was fortified, it was hardly well protected. Pirates were more feared than the hurricanes than tore through the island every summer.

"W-why would the moon be red then?"

"Fire I imagine. Your father must have sent those dogs to their maker"

"But what if-"

"Don't even think it. Your father can't be bested by wretches like that. 'Tis why they asked him to leave his post. He was the best captain at this port. He'll be home in time to tie the ribbon 'round your pretty neck in the morning.

Sarah jumped as cannon fire became audible in the distance. Rolling through the till then silent bay like thunder.

"Why wasn't I to be told?" Evangeline asked stiffly.

"Last time your father went off to battle you locked him in his study. You nearly cost him his captainship. That he rose in ranks after that is a miracle. And I'll remind you that he did it to appease you. He would have happily stayed Captain Bryan, but you wanted him behind a desk and away from cannon's fire. Dotes on you, he does. You'll be the death of him quicker than any weapon, mark my words."

Evangeline bristled and looked nervously out at the crimson moon.

"Don't you dare talk of death to me. Not this night."

"I'll talk to you of what I like this night and any other night I please, child. I wiped your mother's nose before I wiped yours and I'll take no more cheek from you than I did from her. I'd box your ears were I not a lady, but as it stands I think I'll tell your mother you were sassing me again.

"No," Evangeline said distractedly "There will be no need for that."

"I thought not. Now! Bed!"

Evangeline pulled the covers up to her neck and after a quick glare in Sarah's direction, closed her eyes. When sleep came, though, it was not peaceful. Dreams of fire and blood dominated the night, with cannon fire for a lullaby.

Evangeline woke to hear her father's booming voice echoing through the halls. He was singing some bawdy sea tune and she could hear her mother laughing and trying to be appalled at the same time. She looked over to see Sarah sitting by the window, darning stockings, and looking only appalled.

"Why did you not wake me!" Evangeline demanded as she got out of bed and started to get dressed. "Here, help me with these laces."

Sarah put down her darning and went to help Evangeline into her dress, pulling at the laces to her bodice perhaps a bit too hard.

"You did not **_ask_** me to wake you."

"I would think you would assume I'd want to be woken when my father comes home from a battle," Evangeline said as she tossed her red waves over her shoulder.

"Don't ye be tossing that heathen's hair at me. Honestly! Such a shade!"

Evangeline narrowed her eyes and began to brush the tangles out of her hair. She secured it up with a myriad of combs and raised her eyebrows in regards to the previous question.

"Well," Sarah said, unfazed "He only just arrived a short time ago and I had hoped a little extra sleep might improve yer disposition. Though I see now how misled I was. Sleep ne'er did turn a sow's ear into a silk purse, no matter how many silk ribbons you affix to it."

Evangeline's eyes widened in shock and she sat speechless for the briefest of moments. Color rose in her cheeks and she slammed her hairbrush onto the surface of her vanity.

"Who's calling **_who_** a sow, you old maid!" she shrieked "When my parent's finally let you retire, I'll gladly throw you and your things in the street and good riddance to you!"

"Hopefully not before I have a chance to apply my foot firmly to your spoiled little -"

"Ahem."

They both turned to see Evangeline's mother standing in the doorway, one of her raven eyebrows cocked in amusement.

"Mistress Amy-" Sarah started, but Amy waved her hand in dismissal.

" I swear, the way you two carry on, you'd think you actually loved one another."

"Hardly," Evangeline scoffed, sotto voce.

"Evangeline, your father wishes to see you in his study. Run along."

Evangeline made it as far as the door when Amy turned to Sarah with a wink.

"And, Evangeline, do stop pestering Sarah."

Evangeline gaped at her mother all the way out the door. Sarah waited until her footsteps had faded down the hall and then laughed.

"I do love to see that look upon her haughty face every now and again."

Amy laughed and gave Sarah a mock scolding look.

"Careful, Sarah. That's my daughter you're talking about."

"Now, the wee one isn't spoiled a bit." Sarah said, chuckling.

"Talk to her father. Even now he's in his study with a trophy of war for her."

Sarah shook her head and looked sympathetically at Amy.

"She'll make a good wife one day, though." Amy said "Should she ever learn to cull her temper. Took me long enough, as you well remember."

"Aye, I do. Though I don't remember you being as wild."

Amy laughed and put her arm through Sarah's.

"I have a dress that needs mending. Would you take a look at it for me, please?"

"Certainly," Sarah said, still smiling and let Amy lead her out of the room.

Her father was standing with his back to her, looking out into the harbor through the great window that dominated his study. She could see the two ships that were used in the previous night's ambush at dock. One had a large hole in its side and was listing aft. Evangeline studied him in silence. His fair hair was nearly black with soot, as was his uniform. His posture, though, proud, was obviously battle weary. She gave a start when she saw his left pants leg below the knee was covered with blood.

"Father?"

Paul made no move to turn, but waved at her from over his shoulder.

"Is that the ringing of my little bell?"

"Fa-ther!"

He turned with a smile and quickly crossed the room to put his arm around Evangeline. She noticed he was favoring his left leg and looked pointedly at it. He caught the meaning of her stare, looked down at his leg and cleared his throat.

"Not my blood?" he stated sheepishly.

"Hmm."

"Alright! Fine! I was nicked , tis just a nick, your Highness. Should I call a gravedigger now, for surely I will perish from such a terrible wound?"

Evangeline smacked his arm and then laid her head on his shoulder, not minding the soot that immediately transferred to her cheek.

"No need to be rude," she said "I worry is all."

"Worry?" he scoffed "Aye, I remember when your worry cost me a study door. Were I made of sterner stuff, the cost should have come out of your backside. Mothers worry, daughters obey."

"Dogs obey."

"Fine," he ceded "Daughters behave."

"I do behave," Evangeline replied "Only on my own terms."

Paul smiled.

"Would you like to see your present?"

He reached into his breast pocked and pressed a heavy coin into her hand. She studied the markings on both sides and tested its heft in her palm.

"What is it?"

"Spanish piece of eight," he said proudly "Liberated from Bartholomew Tanner myself."

"Tanner!" she asked, shocked.

"The same. He's locked up in the fort waiting to have his neck stretched. The sum I'll get for bringing him to justice will keep you in ribbons and lace until long after I'm dead, bonny one."

She tucked the coin into a pocked cleverly sewn into the skirt of her dress.

"I don't care about those things so long as you're safe. And how can I keep you safe, tidy sum or no, if you're off chasing pirates?"

Evangeline stood there tapping her foot even after her father kissed her on the top of the head.

"You won't be so critical once your new wardrobe arrives. I should imaging you'll be wanting to discuss cut and cost with your mother. Why don't you find her and tomorrow we'll go to port and see if you find any material you like."

Evangeline smiled eagerly and kissed her father on the cheek.

"If you ever fail to tell me you've gone off to fight again," she said sweetly "Being locked in your study will be the least of your worries."

Paul maneuvered her towards the door.

"Behave," he said as he gently pushed her out and closed the door behind her.

The next day, Evangeline was ensconced in a carriage with her parents and Sarah on their way down to the docks. She greedily took in the sights of the town life wishing, not for the first time, that she didn't have to be so proper. Her eyes widened when she was the newly constructed gallows. The smell of sawdust was carried on the breeze and even though there had only been four hangings at the fort since she could remember, that smell never made her think of new beginnings, but an ending.

"When will Tanner stand trial, father?" she asked.

"He'll be tried and hanged on the morrow along with four of his crewmen."

"Only four?" Amy inquired.

"He was running a light ship to be able to carry more plunder in the hold, but you're right that four isn't enough. A longboat was missing from his ship and we suspected at least four more men missing, but after a sweep of the waters we found nothing. It was assumed they drowned."

Evangeline looked out at the harbor and tried unsuccessfully to image such turmoil in such calm waters. It was like the island's volcano. The mountain was beautiful and lush with life, but the villagers spoke of it as a harbringer of death and refused to settle on that side of the island. The children that she had snuck away to play with as a girl said there was the remains of a village on the other side of the mountain between the forests and the sea. In the time of their grandparents' grandparents, the mountain erupted sending white hot ash over the village and turning all the people there to stone. They had dared each other to go there, but never made it farther that the life the villagers instinctively knew not to cross before remembering ailments and responsibilities that would keep them from trekking the rough terrain.

Paul left the carriage first and was in the process of helping Evangeline down, when a soldier ran up and turned him around, making Evangeline lose her footing and tumble from the carriage. She was about to berate the man within an inch of his life when she looked up and saw that his head was bloodied and he was very agitated.

"Sir," he cried "Tanner escaped this last hour. Some of his men must have survived the sea. They just ambushed the fort and released him."

"Well, find him, man!" Paul bellowed as he helped Evangeline to her feet.

"We're combing the island, sir. We don't think he has left yet."

"And why is that?"

"He said to give you this, sir."

The soldier handed Paul a piece of uniform that had been scrawled upon. Paul unfolded it and dropped it to the ground. Evangeline looked at her feet and read the words:

"Yours for mine."

Paul deposited Evangeline back in the carriage and spoke with the driver.

"Take them back to the house, immediately."

He then put his head in the window of the carriage and looked fiercely at Evangeline.

"If I hear you've left the house today because curiosity your aching backside will be the least of your worries. Goes for you too, Amy. This man is dangerous and I don't know what he wants. I will send soldiers up to the house to guard the doors. Stay. Inside."

With that he followed the injured soldier back to the fort, bellowing orders the whole way.

Night had fallen and her father still hadn't returned. Evangeline paced her room back and forth unable to sleep. Sarah snored in the corner. Typical. After a moment's thought, she pulled a robe over her nightdress and crept down the hall. A quick peek into her parents' room confirmed that her father had not arrived without her knowing. Her only consolation was that the night had been silent. No gunfire had broken the night. Sneaking down the stairs, she intended to see if her father was in his study. She turned the corner into the hallway that led to this room when a hand pressed itself against her mouth. Another arm snaked around her waist and pulled her backwards to an unyielding chest.

"Looks like I've found my plunder," said the man behind you "Scream and I'll cut yer throat now, understand?"

Evangeline nodded quickly, tears pooling in her eyes. The man slipped his hand off her mouth and turned her around.

"Tanner," she whispered, recognizing his face from news drawings.

"The one," he said with a sneer.

He was a head taller than her and had at least 60 pounds on her. All muscle and sinew. He was as formidable a man as she had ever seen. A purple scar ran the length of his red cheek and pulsed in the dark. Every inch of her trembled.

"Ye'll be leaving with me, missy."

Suddenly Evangeline was no longer afraid. She was angry. Very. She kept her voice low, but made sure there was a commanding tone in it.

"And what makes you think I'll leave with the likes of you, you filthy dog? You're not fit to lick my riding boots! I'll have you hanged for even setting foot in this house!"

Tanner chuckled and reached his hands into his belt, pulling out a pistol. He cocked it and aimed it at Evangeline's chest.

"I guess I'll be going with you, then." she said, voice trembling again.

He nodded his agreement and brought the pistol butt down hard on her head. It was the last Evangeline saw of her home.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Do not own. Wish I did.

What in the heck is a Mary Sue? I've read things about "Not another Mary Sue" and "The dreaded Mary Sue?" and I'm confused. What is it and how do I stop from making one? Just wondering. Review, please. Meaty Jack stuff next Chapter. Coming soon. Promise, promise, promise. (Hehehehe….meaty….)

Chapter Two- Over Hill and Over Dale

I stand amid the roar/Of a surf tormented shore/And I hold within my hands/Grains of golden sand/Oh how they creep/Through my fingers to the deep/While I weep, while I weep. -- Edgar Allen Poe

Evangeline woke slowly, her head throbbing. She was lying down and something light was covering her, the sunlight filtering through. Suddenly the previous night's events came crashing back and she sat up with a cry. In her panicked state, she took everything in as quickly as she could. She was in a farmer's cart and she recognized the driver as John, husband of Margaret, one of the village children she used to play with. His black eyes were wide with fear and he was making slight motions with his hand for her to lie back down. Behind him the volcano loomed large, closer than she had ever seen it. The cart gave a violent jerk as it hit a run in the long abandoned path they were traveling on. They were on the other side of the island! She looked down to see what had covered her was hay. Margaret's husband was still silently urging her to lie back down. The hay beside her exploded and before she had time to scream, Tanner had his hand over her mouth and his pistol pressed squarely between her eyes.

"Ye'll be wanting to lie back down, girlie. Yer man here tells me no on ne'er comes to this side o' the island, but I don't think I'll be takin' any chances."

Evangeline sat there, stunned. Taking her inability to move for refusal to move, Tanner slowly removed the gun from it's place between her eyes and placed it at the base of John's skull.

"Lie back down," he said, leaving the threat unspoken.

John's back shook as he began softly to cry. Evangeline pictured Margaret and their small son and slowly sunk back into the hay. Tanner covered her again and resituated himself beside her, pistol in her ribs. Evangeline closed her eyes and began weeping. Against all odds, between her crying and the rocking of the cart, she fell asleep.

The sudden stop of the cart awoke her. The lack of light filtering through the hay told her it was night again. She lay very still, contemplating whether or not to sit up. Her question was answered for her when Tanner grabbed a handful of her hair and pulled her up and out of the cart. She shrieked at the pain. It felt as if he'd taken the top of her head off. When she opened her eyes she saw they were standing in a village, but something was wrong. It took her a moment to realize there were no candles or lanterns lit within the houses. There were large stones strewn here and there and the absence of color was frightening. The village surrounding the port was a riot of color, from the clothing to the buildings. In the moonlight, everything here was a uniform gray. Tanner motioned for John to get down off the cart.

"I'm goin' to walk behind ye two. If either of you runs, I shoot the other one."

John grabbed Evangeline's hand and they began to walk through the village and down to the sea. Evangeline peered into windows as se walked past, but was greeted with only darkness. When she craned her neck to look in a doorway, she tripped over one of the stones that littered the street. She fell to her knees and found herself nose to nose with the stone figure of a man, his face forever frozen in a rictus of pain and fear.

"The ash turned them to stone. Only the ones who rain survived," John said as Evangeline began to scream at the top of her lungs.

Tanner crossed the distance between them in two strides and struck her so hard her head snapped to the side and she tasted blood blossoming within her mouth. She fell completely to the ground, sprawled across the petrified villager and slowly brought her hand to her cheek, which was already swelling.

"Do not hit her!" John yelled "There's no one around to hear her!"

Tanner growled and pulled Evangeline up by the hair again, turning her to face John. Then, with a gesture as casual as brushing hair out of one's eyes, he raised the pistol and fired it a close range into John's chest. Evangeline stopped struggling and opened her mouth to scream again, but Tanner stopped her short.

"If so much as an 'Oh, dear' comes out o' that pretty mouth of yers, you'll get more o' the same. I have plans fer ye, but it'll be no skin of me nose to leave you hear dead, either."

Evangeline's shoulders slumped, resigned. He sensed the change in her demeanor and let her go, taking a step back.

"What plans?" she asked, monotone.

"Yer da has ruined me in the Spanish Main, I intend to make a wee bit o' profit off you and sleep better knowin' I've ruined ye as well."

"My father will find us," she said, though her voice held none of the hope of the statement.

"Can't find us if he don't know where to look."

He grabbed her hand, leading her out of the village and down to the beach. They kept to the shadows as much as possible until they came to a small cove sheltered from view by some of the rough rocks at the base of the volcano. Evangeline wrinkled her nose, the air smelled like rotten eggs and the rocky ground was warm beneath her bare feet. Tanner pulled her forward until they were walking in water. The water was warm, too. Like a bathtub.

It took her eyes a minute to adjust to the dimmer light within the cove. When they did, she saw, moored half on the beach, half in the water, a small fishing boat like the kind the villagers used back home. It could be rowed for shallow fishing, or it had a single sail that could be raised for maneuvering in deeper water. He smiled when he saw her looking at it.

"Me men stole if fer me after they broke me loose. I told them to hid it here, then sent them along to get a new ship and hire a new crew. We're to meet them in Fiji in two month's time."

"Two months?" she squeaked.

"Thinking ye'll tire of me before then?" he said with a laugh.

"We're going to spend two months on that?" she asked pointing to the skiff "What about food and water and, and….privacy?"

"Privacy be the least o' yer worries, girlie, but let me put yer mind at ease: I have a plan."

With that he tossed her in the boat and pushed it off the land. After he leaped in himself, he set her at the back of the boat and put the handle of the rudder in her hand. He raised the sail in silence and then sat down facing her.

"You work that rudder. When I say left, ye pull left. When I say right, ye pull right. Got it?"

Evangeline nodded.

"Don't get any fancy ideas just because I've asked ye to help me. I can sail this pile just as easily without you. As soon as we're clear of the island, I'll be goin' to sleep. You stay awake and rouse me if you spot trouble. Remember, I can slit yer throat quicker than help can get to ye out here."

He reached under the seat and pulled out a pair of manacles stolen from the jail. He attached on end to her and she had to repress the urge to smack him as he caressed her bare ankle, then with a leisurely movement, he leaned back and attached the other end to himself.

"To further discourage fancy ideas," he said solemnly.

"Where are you taking me?" she asked between clenched teeth.

"Tortuga," he said with a smile.

They went through the meager foodstuffs Tanner's men had left on the boat in the first two days. By the third she was hungry, thirsty, and after looking at the endless ocean all around her, had begun to give up hope of rescue. Tanner had done little more in those three days than bark orders and leer at her. As the sun set on their third day, she began to contemplate jumping overboard. The loss of her own life being a small price to pay for the pleasure of bringing him down after her. She was lost in the pleasant vagaries of this thought when Tanner laughed so suddenly and so lout that the boat noticeable shook when she jumped.

"Tortuga," he declared, pointing over bow of the boat.

She looked past his finger and there were indeed the lights of a town.

After another half an hour, they were ready to dock, but he dropped anchor right before they pulled into port.

"Let me make something clear. Tortuga isno a town a bonnie lass like yerself will want to go runnin' around all by yer lonesome. Specially in yer nightsies."

He eyed her nightdress and Evangeline pulled her robe tighter around her chest. Chuckling, he continued:

"I'm goin' to chain you to the mast and cover you with the sail. Don't move and don't make a sound. Helpin' ye won't be the first thing on anyone's mind who stumbles across ye. I'll go find lodging and some more….manageable clothes for ye. I'll be back within an hour."

With that, he did as he said, attaching his end of the manacle to the mast and then lowering the sail and covering her with it. Picking up the oars, he rowed them into Tortuga, docked, and left ship without another word to her.

Evangeline wasn't sure how long Tanner had been gone, but she was sure it had been longer than an hour. The arrogant bastard had even left the oars and his compass on board, sure she would not try to transverse the open seas. The sounds around her were confusing and discordant. Behind her were the lapping of the waves and the creaking of many ships. In front of her were all manner of sounds. Laughing, male and female, that managed to sound both jolly and troublesome at the same time. Screams and shouts, music, the clinking of glasses, the clashing of steel, and gunfire all filled the night air. After a time, someone stepped on board and she chided herself when she realized she had been praying for it to be Tanner. The sail was slowly raised and before she could turn to see who it was, she heard Tanner's voice.

"Get up."

She stood up and saw that he had only raised the sail halfway, blocking the back half of the boat from view of the harbor. He threw a bundle of clothes at her.

"Here, put these on."

"She looked at the trousers and broadcloth shirt and gave Tanner a scandalized glare.

I will not wear-"

"Ye will," he stated, matter of fact "Then ye'll pull yer hair up in this cap and put this hat o'er it."

He tossed a large, overly long coat at her as well.

"This will have to do to cover up yer bumps until I can come up with something better."

"My bu-" she started to ask, but blushed scarlet when realization dawned on her.

With a snort, he thankfully went to the other side of the sail to let her change. When she finished, she came around and he looked at her.

"It'll do," he said "But yet hat is backwards."

He corrected it and pulled her off the boat.

"Not a word to no one," he said "I'll kill anyone ye talk to."

He led her through the town and she was amazed at the wantonness of everything she saw. People pressed in from all sides and not a one of them looked like an honest soul. They stopped outside an inn called the "Cock and Bull" that looked like it stood only from the sheer number of people within. They wove their way through the crowd and came to the bottom of the most frighteningly rickety staircase Evangeline had ever seen, when a woman with her breast hanging out of the left side of her dress grabbed Evangeline's shoulder and turned her around.

"My aren't you a lovely one?" she cackled "Not often ye see a man with lips like tha'. Ye fancy a toop, pretty? I'll make ye a fair deal."

Evangeline stood transfixed as this shambles of a woman made grab for her crotch. Before she could, though, Tanner smacked her hand away.

"Back off, whore," he growled.

"Oh, it's like tha', it is guv'nor?" she said "Meant no harm by it. Carry on."

She stepped back and let them continue up the stairs. At the end of a dim and dank hallway, Tanner produced a key and unlocked a door. He pushed Evangeline inside and locked the door behind them. Turning, he look at Evangeline with such malevolent intensity, that she backed up against the wall. He walked across the room towards her and she tried to shrink into herself, but he turned at the last moment and walked over to the bed.

"I chose this place for a reason," he said, pulling the sheet off the bed. "Should ye get feisty or misbehave, no one will blink when they hear yer screams."

He tore the sheets into strops, relishing her jump at the sound of the tear.

"And if ye cross me, I plan to make ye scream plenty."

He grabbed Evangeline's hair and pulled, tilting her head back, making her yell in protest. When her mouth opened, she wadded up a strip of the sheet and shoved it in. She gagged against the foul fabric, but before she could spit it out, he secured it with another strip, deftly tying it behind her head. He then pulled her arms behind her, tied them, then kicked her to her belly and trussed her like she had seen done to hogs in the market back home. He picked her up by the knot that secured her wrists to her ankles and tossed her on the bed.

"I'm goin' to find us passage," he said, then added cruelly "Don't move."

After an hour or more, every muscle in Evangeline's body was screaming in protest. She might have cried were she not so angry. She was happily contemplating the probability of clawing Tanner's eyes out before he had a chance to kill her when he stumbled back into the room, obviously drunk. Her eyes widened when he pulled a knife out of his belt, but it only served to cut her loose. She quickly tore the gag away from her mouth and then went about the business of rubbing circulation back into her limbs.

"'Ere," he said and parcel landed next to her on the bed.

"What is it?"

"Open it and see."

She eyed the package suspiciously and then slowly opened in. Inside were yards and yards of linen cut into one continuous, thin strip. Remembering what he did with the bed sheet, she was afraid what this would be used for.

"What is it?" she asked again.

"Bind yer breasts," he stated, answering and ordering at the same time.

She looked at the fabric and back at him, silently willing him to leave. When he didn't she sighed.

"Are you just going to stand there?"

"Had planned on it," he said with a sick smile "Won't be long before you won't even think twice afore being naked with a man."

He head snapped up at his last statement as she slowly began to unbutton the shirt, blushing furiously. She fumbled with the linen, only making a few passes around, when he groaned and crossed the room.

"Not tight enough," he said huskily as he unwound her meager work.

He captured one of her breasts in his rough hand and rubbed his thumb over her rose-colored nipple. He pinched it sharply, causing her to gasp in pain. She smacked his hand and he smacked her face causing her cheek to throb anew. Then without a word, he efficiently and painfully bound her breasts.

"Put yer shirt back on and sit on the bed," he commanded when he finished.

Fidgeting with the bindings, trying unsuccessfully to make them more comfortable, she obeyed. He sat behind her, gathered her hair into one bunch, and drew his knife again.

"Too bad we'll have to cut this hair. Hair like this'll bring me a fortune in any eastern port. It'll grow back, at least."

As he was speaking, he began to saw through her hair with the knife.

"Too bad yer a virgin or I might have to sample the goods. You are a virgin, aren't ye?"

"Of course I am," she said, shocked "Pig!"

He tugged her hair roughly as he made the last cut, letting ten inches of auburn curls fall limply to the floor. Her hair now hung just to her shoulders. He gathered the remaining hair a tail at the nape of her neck and secured it with a ribbon in a style she had seen some of the men downstairs wearing. He stepped back to admire his work and finding it passing, began stuffing things into a sack.

"I found us passage on a ship," he said as he worked "We leave within the hour. Yer to be my son. Didna tell them much more than that. Yer name's to be Adam."

"Adam?" she asked.

"Got a better name?"

"I always did fancy Aloysius," she said, grinning cockily.

"Don't sass me, wench, or I'll worry your other cheek so they both match."

"Adam," she said as she glared at Tanner.

"These men are not yer honest sailors," he continued, ignoring her "They're pirates. So don't get any ideas about rescue. Even if ye do reveal yer fairer sex to them and they relieve you of me, you don't want to know the things a ship of men will do to a lonely girl. I've seen it, hell I've done it."

He watched with mirth as his last comment made her shift uncomfortably.

"Don't speak unless spoken to and when ye do, try to lower yer voice. Do any work they ask of ye and we should be fine. The cap'n knew me on sight, so there's no lyin' about who I am. Lucky he didn't know I don't have a son. Thinks I'm bringin' ye up to be a scallywag like yours truly. Are ye ready?"

She stood without a word and let him lead her out of the inn and down to the docks.

She was looking up at the most imposing ship she had ever seen. Her father had sailed larger ships than this, but there was something about this one that was intimidating.

"Maybe it's the black sails," she thought.

They came up behind a man who was standing on the gangplank, alternately yelling orders and yelling obscenities.

"Cap'n?" Tanner said and the man turned around with a slight wobble and a flourish of his arms.

Evangeline studied him intently. His hair was braided and twisted and had all manner of trinkets woven into it. He wore an open broadcloth shirt, worn trousers, and battered boots. A bright sash was woven around his waist, and another held his hair away from his face. He certainly looked the pirate, but his eyes confounded her. They were like liquid chocolate and had none of the inherent hardness present in Tanner's In them she saw amusement, wisdom, and calculation, but not hardness. What kind of man was this?

"Barty!" the man slurred and Evangeline almost smiled when she felt Tanner tense at the use of the nickname.

"Jack," Tanner all but spit.

"Captain Jack," the man corrected, smiling.

He fixed his eyes on Evangeline, sweeping them up and down, seeming to take in everything.

"What happened to yer face, son?" he asked.

"A brawl," Tanner answered, simply.

Jack nodded and with another smile and another flourish, clapped Evangeline on the back.

"Welcome to the Black Pearl, mate!"


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three--Secrets and Lies

They love the sea/Men who ride on it/And they know they will die under the salt of it/Let only the young come, says the sea/Let them kiss my face and hear me/I am the last ford/And I tell where storms and stars come from--Carl Sandburg "Young Sea"

The stars! Oh, the multitude of stars! Back home, there were never so many stars. Evangeline stood at the rails, watching in wonder, forgetting for a moment the tragedy her life had become.

"Ah, young Adam," came a voice from beside her. She almost brought her hand to her throat in surprise, but stopped, realizing how unmasculine that gesture was and settled on adjusting her hat. Clearing her throat, she turned to find Captain Sparrow regarding her with much curiosity.

"Good evening, Captain Sparrow," she said as deeply as possible.

"Jack," he said, then after a pause "_Captain_ Jack."

Evangeline smiled and almost relaxed until the little voice at the back of her head started chanting:

"_Pirate, pirate, pirate!_"

She immediately stiffened and turned her face back to the sea.

"If I were a bettin' man instead of a takin' man, I'd lay odds that yer dear ol' da's never taken you far from shore."

"Uh, no," Evangeline stuttered "No, he hasn't."

"And why would that be?"

Evangeline shifted her gaze back to Jack, uncomfortable where this line of questioning was headed, hoping he was just making small talk and was not at all interested in a real answer. Unfortunately, his gaze locked onto hers the moment she raised her eyes. She struggled for a moment with a way to change the topic.

"How, uh, how did you know I've never been long at sea?" she asked, finally.

"Do you always answer a question with a question?" he countered, taking a swig from the bottle she had noticed was never far from his side.

"Yes?" she said, making sure to phrase it as a question.

Jack let out a riotous laugh and took another drink.

"Fine," he slurred "Ye win fer now. I knew because of how yer looking' at the stars. No sailor after his first tour looks at the stars like tha'. They're maps, tis all. Beautiful maps, aye, but maps just the same."

Evangeline looked out at the stars, unbelievingly.

"Trust me," he said with a sideways grin "There are more earthly treasure to be had. Things to run between yer fingers. What do ye see out there?"

Evangeline considered him for a moment and decided to answer him as honestly as she could.

"It's like someone had a bowlful of jewels and just turned it upside down."

Jack stood stock still and she was afraid for one horrible moment that he might cry until the corners of his mouth twitched and he laughed so hard he nearly doubled over.

"Is there a problem?" she asked indignantly, her voice veering precariously high.

"No, no," Jack said, waving his hands in the air "No, it's just I think yer da has ye figgered wrong. Yer not a sailor, yer a poet."

He paused and raised an eyebrow.

"Yer not a eunuch are you?"

"A _eunuch_," she sputtered.

"Never mind, tis no matter. Ye come to my cabin after noon mess a'morrow and I'll show ye a thing or two about stars."

Evangeline nodded in agreement.

"I'd like that, Captain."

"Jack," he said with a grin.

"Captain Jack," she said, smiling back.

He looked out at the sky and sighed.

"I'll leave ye to it, then," he said, gesturing to the stars and clapped her on the back hard enough to shuffle her forward a step.

He walked away, swaying with the movements of the ship. When he reached the door to his cabin, she heard him mutter:

"Bleedin' bowl of stars," under his breath and he disappeared behind the heavy ironwood doors with a chuckle.

Evangeline was mentally forcing her inner voice to regain it's previous cheer of "_Pirate, pirate, pirate!_" that she was annoyed to find had ceased at some point during her conversation with Jack, when Tanner sidled up next to her and grabbed her wrist so hard she heard bones creak.

"Let go of me!" she whispered through her tears.

"I don't think ye be in a position to be givin' out orders. You and the Cap'n have a nice little chat, did ye? What did ye talk about?"

He accentuated his last question with another squeeze and she went down to her knees.

"Nothing!" she squealed.

He squeezed again.

"Stars," she cried, nearly breathless from the pain "We talked about stars."

He let go of her with a grunt.

"Ye don't want to lie to me," he said, voice soft, but full of menace. "It wouldna be good for ye if ye did."

With that, he looked briefly at Jack's door and stalked off into the night. Evangeline sat on the deck, holding her battered wrist gently and trying to reign in her tears. The look on Tanner's face as he had glanced at Jack's door had her mind reeling more than the pain. It was fear. She had seen fear stamped on his cruel features as clear as day. If he was afraid of Jack, did that make the Captain a man for her to fear or a man for her to trust?

Evangeline was tumbled from her bunk sometime in the morning by Jack's first mate, Gibbs.

"What time is it?" she groaned.

"Tis bad luck to be sleepin' in," was his only reply.

Evangeline got up, hissing when she put weight on her wrist, noticing it was an angry purple. She splashed some cold water on her face and headed to the main deck. She had become so used to the darkness below deck, that the bright sun hit her like an assault.

"Sun," she stated, dumbly.

Jack was walking by and spun around to face her when she spoke.

"Sun?" he said "Aye, the bright thingy in the sky is indeed the sun. Have ye been into my rum?"

Evangeline shook her head and with a shrug he continued on. Gibbs grabbed Evangeline by the shoulder and guided her up some stairs.

"Ev'ry cabin boy worth his salt has scrubbed the poop deck. Guess what ye be doin' this fine morning'?"

He pushed a scrub brush with bristles worn down nearly to the wooden handle and a bucket of questionable water into her hands.

"Scrubbing the poop deck?" she answered.

The change in temperament was instant. One moment he was kind, but stern, the next he was a bellowing tempest.

"Don't talk smart at me ye scurvy cockroach! Get at scrubbin'!"

Evangeline scurried off in a panic while Gibbs chuckled quietly to himself.

After Evangeline was sure she could scrub no more, Gibbs announced that the quarter deck needed her attention. With a weary sigh she made sure Gibbs could not hear, she gathered her brush and bucket and stood to make her way to the quarter deck. When she thought she was steady on her feet, an unbelievably strong wing nearly knocked her to her knees. In her struggle to remain upright, she dropped her bucket of water. She stood, dumbfounded as the bucket rolled down the stairs and came to rest at Gibbs' feet.

Mr. Cotton's parrot squawked somewhere on the ship: "There's a storm a'brewin'." and Evangeline wasn't sure if he was referring to the rising winds or the color rising up Gibbs' neck. He opened his mouth to berate her, but before he could there was a sickening sound of ripping cloth. Evangeline looked up to see one of the sails had split down the middle. The lack of tension had caused on of the hawsers to come loose, lashing a heavy block and tackle dangerously across the deck. Men ducked for cover and Jack came down from the helm yelling ordered.

"Secure the line! Run up the storm canvas!"

The thick rope rushed towards Evangeline and without thinking, she latched onto it. Her cry of triumph quickly became on of terror as the rope pulled her forward off the stairs and flung her down towards the main deck. The rope ran through her hands, making her palms feel as if they had been set aflame. She instinctively let go and came crashing to the boards. Suddenly, the world was devoid of air. The people that were circled around, looking down at her seemed to be having no problems breathing, but she could get a single breath into her lungs. It seemed an eternity she sat there, opening and closing her mouth ineffectually when Gibbs, clutching the hawser in his massive left hand, hit her on the back with his equally massive right. She drew in a shuddering breath and bent over, clutching her middle. Someone from the crew helped her to her feet and laughed when he saw her raw and bleeding hands.

"No wonder ye couldn't hold onto the line," he declared with glee "Ye've got girlie hands!"

This caused everyone to laugh, diffusing a tense situation as they all gathered around to get a look at her hands.

"Yer in the wrong profession," someone cried "Ever tried lace-makin'!"

Evangeline tried to curl her hands towards her, but Jack came up beside her and uncurled them, surveying the damage.

"To my cabin," he said without emotion, but the look in his eyes said he was to be obeyed immediately.

Evangeline walked towards Jack's cabin, but not before catching Tanner's eyes among the bustling crew, shooting her a silent warning. She reached the cabin doors and waited for Jack to come open them.

"Sit down," he said, gesturing to a chair.

She sat and watched him as he went through cabinets, pulling out some linen strips and another bottle of rum. He pulled the cork and after a moments hesitation and a look of what she took to be regret, he poured the rum over her wounds. She yelped and tried to pull her hands back, but Jack stopped her and started to wrap the linen around her palms.

"Ye'll want to change this before ye go to bed and again in the morning', savvy?" he said brusquely.

"Thank you," she muttered, unable to shake the feeling that she was in trouble.

"Stevens' was right, ye know. You do have girlie hands. Yer not cut out fer hard labor. That block coulda taken yer head off. What were ye thinking makin' a grab fer it like tha'!"

"I-I-," she stuttered.

He grabbed her hands and turned them palm up, his thumb grazing her bruised wrist.

"Rope to this, too?" he asked.

"It must have wrapped around, somehow," she said, nodding her head.

"Hmm..," was his only reply as he took a swig of rum, recorked it, and set it on the table.

"Ye hit the boards pretty hard, take off yer shirt so I can see the damage."

"I'll do that for ye, Cap'n," came a voice. They both turned to see Tanner standing in the doorway.

"I don't believe I gave ye permission to enter, Barty."

"Beggin' yer pardon," Tanner said with the air of a repentant sinner "I was just worried about the boy."

"Hmm…," Jack said again "Alrigh'. Go with yer da, Adam. If nothing's amiss, ask Gibbs fer some light chores and don't be fergettin' our appointment after lunch."

"I won't, Captain," Evangeline said as Tanner all but dragged her from the room.

"Appointment!" Tanner bellowed and cuffed her ear when they were a ways from the cabin doors. "What bloody appointment!"

"He said he'd show me a thing or two about the stars," she said, struggling in his grip.

"Yer not ta go."

"I think it was Captain's orders," she said haughtily, then added "Da." for the benefit of any crew that might have heard.

Not waiting for his reply, and feeling more than a little brave, she walked off to find Gibbs and face whatever new tortures he'd devised for her.

After lunch, Evangeline knocked nervously on Jack's cabin door. There was no answer, so she knocked again. On the second knock, Jack flung open the door with a look of confusion on his face. He looked up, left and right before letting his eyes settle on Evangeline.

"Thought a wee mite of a birdie was tap tappin' at me door," she said, ushering her in "Ye even knock like a girl. Are you _sure_ yer not a eunuch?"

"I-" she started, but he waved her answer away again.

"Never mind, tis no matter. Have a seat."

Evangeline sat in the same chair that she had earlier, watching Jack as he scurried about his cabin, piling parchments on his desk.

"Given this mornin's happening's, I thought we'd discuss yer place on this ship," Jack said, giving her a serious look.

Evangeline gulped, imagining walking the plank to a watery death.

"I, I thought you said you'd show me about stars," she stuttered.

"Seems to me, they might be one and the same."

"Beg pardon?" she asked and he motioned for her to come over to the desk.

"Do ye know what this is?"

She looked on the table and nodded in recognition.

"It's a map," she said. It reminded her of the antiquated maps that hung on her father's study wall. The one with fantastical creatures drawn in the margins with the caption "_Here there be monsters._" that always sent a shiver down her spine and sent her imagination to running. This one was more utilitarian than those, but seemed to serve the same purpose.

"Tha's right," Jack said "And what abou' this?"

He rolled back the map, uncovering another document that, to her, looked like child's drawings. Large points connected by small lines forming a myriad of odd shapes.

"I don't know," she admitted, intrigued, tracing her fingers over the lines.

"Tis a map as well," he said "It's a map of the stars."

He help up a queer looking instrument and twirled it around.

"This is a sextant. It helps you use the on wi' the other."

He unrolled the first map and passed his hand over it.

"Now, it seems to me yer da is in a hurry to get somewhere, but I don't think a day or two will cause him any grief. I'll show ye about how to use these maps and then let ye plot a course within this area."

He drew a wide circle on the map with his finger.

"Then tonight, weather allowin', ye'll take the helm and we'll see if we end up where ya said we would. We'll make a sailor out of ye yet. That or yer da'll have to resign himself to yer wearin' frills and troddin' the stage."

Evangeline scanned the area of the map he had indicated and pointed to a small island.

"What's there?"

"Nothin' really. Lot o' jungle, bit o' beach. Rumrunner's used to use it fer a stop, but they've moved on to more hospitable waters. Pity," he said raising his bottle in salute. "Honorable trade."

Evangeline snorted.

"So it's deserted, then?"

"After a fashion," he replied "There's fresh water inland and all manner a' fruits. Passing ships will stop from time to time to freshen their stores."

Evangeline placed her finger firmly over the island on the map, a plan forming in her mind.

"That's where I want to go," she declared.

"Alrigh'," he said "Let's get to it. Hand me the sextant."

Evangeline once again looked out at the night sky and wondered at the multitude of stars, only now her wonder had shades of annoyance. On the star map, it was easy to tell one constellation from another, east from west, but standing at the helm was an entirely different matter. Whoever drew Jack's maps must have been a greater lover of rum than he was, because nothing was making sense. She had all but begged Jack earlier in the day to let her use his compass, but he just looked at her like she was crazy and shoved it deep into a pocket. Her nervousness was not helped at all by the fact that Tanner had threatened her ever lone moment he had with her all day. Even now, she could see him pacing the boards like a caged tiger. She looked out at the sky again and sighed in exasperation.

"Goin' well?" Jack asked as he walked up to the helm.

"I wish I knew," she replied.

Jack looked out at the sky and studied the stars for a moment.

"Where was it ye wanted to go?" he asked.

"That little island."

Evangeline blushed as he grabbed the wheel and made a large correction.

"That star," he said, pointing "Is yer reference. Careful ye don't sail us off the end o' the world, now."

"There's no such thing," she said, scoffing.

"The hell there isn't," he said "I've seen it with me own two eyes."

Evangeline raised her eyebrows in disbelief.

"Really, he protested "Great bloody waterfall as far as the eye can see. Nearly went over the edge, we did."

"You do know the world is round, right Captain?" she asked, speaking slowly, as if to a small child.

"Tell that to the whale we lashed onto to pull us back from the abyss," he said "Speculation, all o' it."

Evangeline watched in stunned silence as he raised a bottle to his lips to take a swig and almost missed the sly smile he tried to hide. When she realized he was joking, she gave him a shot to the arm and turned back to the helm in a huff.

"Hit like a girl, too," he said between drinks.

In that moment, Evangeline wanted nothing more than to grab Jack and cry "I am a girl!". Wanted nothing more than to beg for his help, but she knew Tanner was watching her very close from somewhere. He wouldn't hesitate to kill her, Jack, or every other person on this ship if he could and the thought panicked her. She had already decided, should her plan not work, she would provoke Tanner into killing her once he had her aboard his ship. Better death at his hands than whatever fate waited for her at the auction block. She was stunned to realize, however, that the thought of her own death saddened her less than the knowledge that she must soon part ways with Jack. She had become fond of the pirate captain. He was a handsome man, with his golden skin and magnificent eyes and she found herself attracted to him in a way she had never been to the scores of suitors back home.

"Adam?" Jack asked slowly.

Evangeline was shocked out of her reverie and completely mortified when she realized she had been staring at him.

"I, uh, sorry Captain. I was just thinking."

"About what, might I ask?"

Evangeline blushed such a deep shade of scarlet that she was sure it was visible in the dark. She had been thinking about his hands and how she wanted them to hold her face and--

"How old are ye, Adam?" Jack asked suddenly.

"Eighteen," she answered without thinking.

"And yer birthday?"

"April 4th, why?"

Jack shrugged off her question and checked her heading again.

"Good night and good sailing, Adam." Jack said with a curious tone in his voice "Remember to keep your eye on that star and we'll reach your island before a'morrow eve."

Then Jack left a very confused Evangeline at the helm.

Tanner watched all of this conspire from a nook he had found, wondering what had caused the captain's sudden change in demeanor. He was watching Evangeline so intently that he almost drew his pistol when Jack came up behind him and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Evenin, Barty," Jack said "Not tired?"

"I was just watchin' the boy, Cap'n. Just makin' sure he brought no harm to yer Pearl."

"I think he's got it under his thumb. Remarkable presence for a boy so young. How old is he, then?"

"Seventeen," Tanner answered.

"Ah, what an age…..When's his birthday?"

"October tenth," Tanner said, supplying his own birthday.

"Goodnight, Barty."

Tanner watched the captain swagger away, alarm bells going off in his head. When Jack was out of sight, he ran up to the helm and growled in Evangeline's ear.

"The next port we come to, we're jumpin ship. The Cap'n knows. If I find ye told him--"

He stalked off without finishing his threat. When he was gone, Evangeline smile with relief and joy. Jack knew! Then she began to cry as she realized she still must leave. She wouldn't risk Jack's life to save her own.

Before retiring for the night, Jack sought out Gibbs and pulled him aside.

"Something's amiss between father and son," he said "Keep an eye on them both."

"Aye, Jack." Gibbs agreed and began his vigil as Jack retired with his thoughts and suspicions.


	4. Chapter 4

Gibbs watched Jack up at the helm with Adam all the next day and noticed the captain was acting a bit odder than usual. He shadowed the boy's every move and on more than one occasion, stepped between father and son. He himself had noticed the boy's bruised wrist and knew it hadn't come from the incident with the hawser, which made him wonder about the bruised cheek the boy sported when he first came on board. Jack was right, there was something going on between them, but if it was nothing more than a father being a little heavy-handed with his son, he didn't understand Jack's obvious concern. It wasn't a pleasant fact of life, but these things happened. Gibbs was about to sneak a drink from his flask, when he saw Jack reach over Adam's shoulder and close his hand over the boy's, assisting with the wheel. The gesture was so intimate and unexpected that he chocked on the rum as it entered his throat and he stood there sputtering as Adam looked over shi shoulder and smiled at Jack with an expression that was decidedly--

"Cap'n!" Gibbs yelled, finding his voice.

Jack pulled his hand off of Evangeline's as if scalded.

"Be back in a mo'," he said.

Evangeline watched Jack as he descended the stairs to the main deck and wondered about his behavior. He had given no indication he had discovered her secret. There were no whispers or sly winks, he still called her Adam, but he had treated her with a sort of tenderness that overshadowed something almost….predatory. He had happily made quick work of Tanner, declaring that no boy ever accomplished great deeds with his father breathing in his ear and Tanner had stalked off to resume his duties with the crew. After that, Jack had found small ways to touch her all day. A hand on the small of her back, a chin rested briefly upon her shoulder, and once, a playful tug upon her hair. Yes, he knew, she was sure of it.

Jack swaggered down to Gibbs, humming a little tune, and the closer he got, the more Gibbs looked at him like he had lost his mind. More so than normal. His first mate motioned for him to come away from the crew. Jack agreed and led the man into his cabin, closing the doors. Once the latch clicked, Gibbs put his nose to Jack's and began bellowing.

"Have ye lost yer bleedin' mind! What in blue blazed do ye think yer doin'?" Then as an afterthought, he added "Cap'n."

"What in blue blazes do ye mean, what in blue blazes do I think I'm doin'? Jack yelled back.

Gibbs pondered this for a moment and then pointed in the general direction of the helm.

"That's what I mean. You up there with Adam, acting like ye….fancy the lad."

"I do not fancy lads," Jack said "Well, except for that time in Singapore, but that doesn't count. I didn't know he was a lad until her….his laces were undone. But I were fair, paid him just the same."

Gibbs took a long minute to regard Jack with an expression that was somewhere between confusion and mutiny.

"Well, if you don't fancy 'im, he sure as Hades fancies you."

"I never said I didn't fancy 'im," Jack said.

"But you just said---"

" Ye think he fancies me?" Jack asked hopefully.

Gibbs quickly exited the cabin with a loud groan.

"What!" Jack called after, then to himself "Of course he fancies me. Who wouldn't? I'm Captain Jack Sparrow."

As night began to fall, a wicked wind wove it's way through the masts, rattling the sails and changing the direction of the flag that was flying from the mizzenmast. Jack took the wheel from Evangeline and nodded to the horizon. In the distance she could see lightning brightening the sky.

"We'll need to find yer island right quick," he said "The wind that knocked ye about must have been the headwinds for that."

Evangeline eyed the coming squall with trepidation. It would either ruin her plans or help her to succeed and, with Jack standing next to her, she wasn't sure which she wanted.

"Land!" cried a man in the crow's nest and Jack smiled broadly.

"Ye did it, Adam!" he declared "A right fine sailor ye'll make. I'm sure the theater will mourn it's loss."

Evangeline beamed proudly at his compliment, then became more serious.

"If I'm not needed anymore," she said "I mean, given the storm and all, I'm exhausted."

"Of course," Jack said "Grab a bite to eat and then tuck in early. Ye've more than earned it."

Evangeline made her goodnights and then headed to the mess. Once there, she became the cook's favorite crew member by seeming to eat twice the normal amount. In truth, she was secreting food in any manner possible, not knowing if she could exist on fruit alone until another ship happened by the island. She thanked the beaming cook and went to her bunk. Wrapping her few things in a sheet, she headed up onto the deck.

So far, the storm seemed to be working in her favor. The crew was so busy making preparations for it's onslaught that no one noticed her. Jack was yelling about taking the Pearl into a cove on the other side of the island until the storm passed. She wondered if he would look for her when he realized she was gone. She also wondered if she'd have the strength to hide from him if he did. Her actions covered by the noise of the wind and the steady rain, Evangeline lowered one of the ship's longboats into the water and used a stolen hemp ladder to get herself inside. With a mournful look back, she began rowing towards shore.

Tanner was heaving up the remaining storm sails when he realized he could no longer see Evangeline.

"Damn!" he cried, grabbing his wrist and faking an injury. Someone else took up his slack and he went first to the galley. He let out a roar of rage when he discovered her bunk empty and stripped. Not caring if anyone saw him, he stalked up to where the longboats were kept. Seeing one missing and the ladder over the side, he quickly deduced what the little bitch had done. He lowered the remaining longboat into the water and took off after her, murder in his eyes.

"Gibbs!" Jack roared.

"Yes, cap'n," he cried over the wind.

"Where be Barty?"

Gibbs searched the men, mentally taking attendance in his head and turned to Jack, wide eyed.

"Damn it!" Jack yelled loud enough to be heard by all "Find Tanner!"

"The longboats are gone!" Stevens answered after a minute.

"Both?" Jack asked in disbelief. Stevens nodded and Jack turned to the choppy water.

Lighting illuminated the night and Jack briefly caught sight of Tanner pulling his longboat up on the shore. The other sat empty nearby. Jack turned on Gibbs.

"I told you to watch her, man!" he yelled. "I told you to watch them both!"

"But Cap'n, the storm," Gibbs started to defend "Wait,….her?"

"I want you to take me as close to shore as possible," was Jack's only answer.

"Aye, Cap'n." Gibbs said and turned the Black Pearl against the wind.

Evangeline crashed through the dense jungle, ignoring the slaps and stings as she was caught by the underbrush. The squall was in full force now. Lightning split the sky, sheets of rain obscured her already meager view and wind bent trees nearly to the ground. All over this served to cover her path, but also hindered her ability to tell how close Tanner was to her. He had been on her almost immediately it had seemed. After pulling the longboad ashore, a chore in itself, she had begun gingerly picking her way through the jungle. She was only a short ways in when she heard something crashing through the trees behind her. Immediately thinking of some hungry beast, and chiding herself for not considering this possibility, she turned to meet her fate with as much dignity as her shaking legs would allow. Instead of teeth and claws, however, she saw Tanner struggling to get through the thick underbrush, his eyes fixed on her. Deciding to take her chances with whatever beasties the jungle might hold, she was off like a shot. IT had been a race since then, with Evangeline in the lead only because her diminutive size afforded her more routes to turn. On more than one occasion she could have sworn she felt his breath on the back of her neck. Still, she was tiring and her footing was becoming unsure because of the rain. She needed to get far enough ahead to find a place to hide.

"I'm going to kill ye, ye little bitch!" Tanner roared, frightenly close.

Evangeline turned to gauge the distance between them and tripped over an exposed root. Sobbing, she clawed at the ground, trying to gain purchase, but all she managed to do was uproot grass and mud. Suddenly, his hand closed on her ankle and she let out a blood curdling scream.

Jack had just crawled up to the beach when Evangeline's scream split through the night, rising above the noise of the storm. Gibbs, feeling guiltily for letting the girl out of his sight, made his way up onto the sand a moment later. Upon hearing the scream, Jack ran up the beach and finding a place where the underbrush had been trampled, he made his way into the jungle, hoping it was her path he was following and not some wild pig's.

Evangeline continued screaming, striking out with all of her strength, but it seemed to have no effect on Tanner, who crawled up her body and sat on her hips, pinning her to the ground.

"Yer da cost me my ship," he said, ripping her shirt open "And ye've cost me my passage to my new one. I'll be havin' some payment before I kill ye."

He slowly, almost tenderly, ran his hands down the linen binding her breasts, then he took his knife from his belt and split the fabric with one violent stroke. He ripped the edges apart, bearing her breasts to the onslaught of rain. Her screams took on a new pitch and she tried to push him away, but he captured her hands in his own, bent down and licked her from navel to the hollow of her throat. Evangeline stopped screaming and begged between sobs.

"Please! Please don't do this! Just kill me, please, just kill me!"

Grinning maliciously, Tanner shifted her wrists to one hand, freeing his other to undo his trousers. Evangeline closed her eyes, willing her mind away from what was about to happen, when thunder sounded terrifyingly close. She opened her eyes again to see Tanner reaching over his shoulder, like he was trying to scratch a persistent itch. His arm fell suddenly to his side, his eyes rolled back into his head, and he fell forward on top of her. Evangeline looked over his slumped shoulder and saw Jack standing ten paces away, arm raised, pistol still smoking. Gibbs stood behind him, mouth open in shock. Jack dropped the pistol and grabbed Tanner with both hands, rolling him off Evangeline. Taking in the state of her, he pulled the edges of her shirt together and scooped her up in his arms. Gibbs gestured to Tanner and Jack looked back at the dead man.

"Leave him," he said.

He carried her to the longboat and put her inside, instructing Gibbs to row the other one back. He looked down at Evangeline and saw she was shivering in shock and put his hand on her arm.

"What's yer name, luv?"

"Evangeline," she answered, closing her eyes and resting her head against the side of the boat.

With that, Jack pushed the longboat into the choppy water and began rowing back to the Pearl.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Four--Pursuit

Stay with me under these waves tonight / Be free for once in your life tonight.--Jeff Buckley "Nightmares by the Sea"

Paul Bryan eyed the daytime denizens of Tortuga with a mixture of pity and disgust. Truth be told, he didn't have the energy for the pity half of it. He was about as exhausted as a man could get this side of death and almost out of hope, too. Since the morning Evangeline had been discovered missing, life had passed in a surreal daze. He didn't know if he could face going home to tell Amy their girl was lost. And if he didn't find her in this God-forsaken place, she was truly lost.

Before the sun had risen on the second day of Evangeline's absence, he had gathered a fleet of six ships and they had scoured every port within three or four days travel of Montserrat. He feared his mistake was saving Tortuga for last, but it was the very reputation of the place that had kept him away. If his little Eva was here or had left from here, well, he didn't want to think about the possibilities. He had taken to studying every redheaded girl that crossed his path. Too intently, it seemed, for he had been threatened by angry husbands and had prices quoted to him. Once, he had grabbed a girl by the shoulders and turned her around, nearly giving the poor thing fits. Needless to say, an officer's uniform wasn't exactly conducive to interrogation in an environment such as this.

He fingered the porcelain miniature of Evangeline he was keeping in his breast pocket. He was reluctant to take it out anymore. Despite the fact that he doubted there was an honest person breathing within a hundred yards of him, whenever someone denied seeing her, truthfully or not, it was like losing her all over again. Finally, tired of the suspicious looks he was getting from all and sundry, he ordered his first mate to purchase him a set of civilian clothes and he retired to the ship.

Ale was a vile drink and Paul suspected this tavern's house ale was more vile than most, as was the company. He sat alone at the filthiest table in the filthiest establishment he had ever had the misfortune to visit and wondered how so many miscreants could gather in one place and not cause Armageddon. It sounded like Armageddon, least ways. After an hour of sitting there, scanning the crowd for a familiar face, he had lost what little hope he had. They would sail tomorrow and he would be about the business of telling Amy that Evangeline was gone. Maybe he'd tie the anchor around his legs, t'would be an easier task. He left his still full tankard on the table, threw too much money down for payment, and walked out the side door into an alley. He contemplated his options for a moment: The alley was the quickest way to the docks and the streets were the safer, but only by the smallest degree. Finally, deciding quicker was better, he made his way back towards the ship.

He could hear the creaking of the ships and smell the salt air when a blow to the back of his knees sent him tumbling. Rolling over, he found himself looking up at quite possibly the ugliest man he had ever seen. His eyes were lackluster and his skin ashen from scurvy. What teeth he had were black and what hair he had hung lank around his near skeletal face. His thin lips pulled back in a sneer as he regarded Paul and he held a large knife comfortably in his hand.

"I'll be havin' that full purse o' yours, guvnor," he said in a dead voice.

Paul schooled his expression to remain blank as he made to reach for his purse. Keeping his eyes locked with the thief's, he grabbed his pistol and, in one deft movement, had it cocked and aimed between the man's eyes.

"My mistake," said the thief, lowering his knife and making his way back down the alley.

"Wait!" Paul called as he got to his feet, but the man paid him no heed.

"Stop or I will shoot you in the bloody back!""

The man turned, hands half raised, and eyed Paul with more curiosity than fear. Paul, for the first time, realized that the key to honesty in this town may well be the threat of a well-placed bullet.

"Guvnor?" the thief asked.

Paul reached into his pocket and had some small satisfaction when he saw the man flinch. He pulled the miniature from his pocket and held it towards the man. The thief eyed Paul warily, but after a moment stepped forward to take a look. He had intended to beg Paul off with a "no", but he was so surprised at what he saw that he chuckled and shook his head.

"I'll be damned," the thief said "She have a brother then?"

"A brother?" Paul answered "No. Why?"

"Ol' Tanner were through here nigh a fortnight ago with a young man he were claiming was his boy. Had a good laugh, we did. Claimed he was his son from t'other side of the sheets, as if he e'er knew the proper side, but the boy were so pretty and he were so protective o'er him, we all thought maybe he'd been too long at sea, if ye catch me meaning."

Paul didn't answer and the man seemed to remember the gun and started to back away.

"One more thing," Paul said evenly.

"Yes?"

"Did you see where he took this boy?"

"No, can't say that I did, but me mate Ralph said he saw 'im goin' aboard a ship with black sails, draggin' the boy behind. Only one ship what has sails like that docks 'ere. Hell, I only know of one at all with sails like tha', the Black Pearl."

The way the man paused, Paul could tell that this was clearly supposed to have some effect on him and the man was disappointed when it didn't.

"The Black Pearl is Tanner's ship then?" Paul asked.

The thief scoffed.

"Tanner couldn't handle a ship like the Pearl. She'd eat 'im alive. Jack Sparrow's the only one what that ship e'er loved. She's passed hands, true, but she sails true for Sparrow and Sparrow alone. 'Sides, Tanner had a bit o' trouble with his own ship. Said he sent his crew to Fiji to fetch another."

Paul took all this in silently, then threw his purse at the man's feet. The thief bent down to pick it up and Paul was gone before he righted himself. Gone back to the docks with a new heading and a new hope.

Jack eyed Evangeline's sleeping form with much concern. She had been in a fitful sleep for just over a week and he would give anything to smooth those worried lines on her forehead with a word or a caress, but she remained deaf to him. Nightly she relived the horror of that island and he had to lie on top of her thrashing body to keep her from harming herself. Were it not for her distress, it would be the favorite part of his day. Doffed of her bindings, she was soft and lush and Jack longed to learn her curves with his hands. She had a fever the first two nights, but it broke with the last of the bad weather. Still, Jack refused to let the Pearl move on until he was sure she was well. They remained anchored off the island and his crew was growing dangerously restless. One more night, he promised himself. Had she not improved by morning, they'd carry on. As if on cue, Gibbs knocked on the door and entered without waiting for an invitation. He closed the door behind him, removed his had from his head and set about the business of looking anywhere but at Jack.

"Cap'n," he started meekly "The men are-"

"I know how the men are," Jack interrupted "I'm not daft."

"It's just, well, it's frightful back luck to stay in one place fer so long, 'specially with a death so recent on the island. His spirit could-"

"Gibbs, did you ever consider that it might be bad luck to speak of bad luck at all?"

This shocked Gibbs into a silence that was broken by a weak voice behind them.

"He's dead then? Truly?"

They both turned in unison to see Evangeline sitting up in bed. They also noticed in unison the sheerness of the nightshirt Jack had put her in. Gibbs flushed and turned away. Jack smiled slyly and shifted a lamp for a better look.

"Good morning', luv," he drawled "Or evenin' as it were."

"My name's not luv, it's Evangeline," she said crossly "And you haven't answered my question."

"A rose by any other name, luv," Jack said, winking "It would seem ye went to bed a boy and woke up a spitfire."

Gibbs cleared his throat and started to walk out. Jack followed close behind them. When he reached the doors, he opened them and then turned around, nearly bumping into Jack.

"She's a woman, Cap'n," he whispered.

"Aye, ye noticed that, too?"

"Well, it's bad, I mean, something bad might….damn…."

Jack turned Gibbs around and left the muttering man out the door, closing it firmly behind him. Turning back to Evangeline, he smiled and swayed back across the room, sitting on the bed next to her.

"Now, what was yer question, luv?"

"Is Tanner dead?"

"Aye," Jack said, absently.

Evangeline narrowed her eyes at Jack who was still smiling at her like a ridiculous schoolboy, then gasped when she realized he wasn't exactly looking in her eyes. She went to pull the covers up and gasped again when she saw what she was wearing.

"Where are my clothes?" she squeaked.

"Well, ye were wet and with fever. Didn't seem proper to leave ye in those soggy clothes. Don't worry, I didn't look."

Evangeline stared at him hard.

"Okay, that's a lie. I did, but only a little."

He smiled widely and Evangeline raised an eyebrow.

"Okay, that's a lie, too."

Jack prepared himself for a berating he knew he deserved, but he looked up to find Evangeline crying.

"Thank you," she said between sobs.

Jack, not entirely sure what to do with the weeping girl, put his arm around her shoulder. If she would only slap him, that he could deal with.

"There, there, sweet," he said frantically "Ol' Jack considered it an honor. Dispatching Barty, I mean, not the looking'. Well, the looking' were an honor, too, but I won't do it again. Well, that's probably another lie, but what do you-"

Evangeline's sobs became wails and Jack quickly backed away from the bed, nearly falling over.

"Oh, damn," he said, panicked and ran to the door. He opened and, not taking his eyes from the catastrophe unfolding in his bed, hollered for Gibbs.

The older man was there in moments with a pained expression on his face.

"What did you do?" he cried over the racket "She sounds like a bleedin' banshee!"

"I think I broke her," Jack said dumbly.

Through her tears, Evangeline regarded the men and suddenly found their distress extremely funny. Her wailing ceased and she fell back on the bed, howling with laughter, tears still streaming down her face.

"You broke her," Gibbs agreed.

After long minutes, her laughter subsided into hiccups.

"I'm hungry," she said.

The two men eyed her like she was a wild animal someone had just let out a cage and nearly bowled one another over trying to get out the door to find some food. Evangeline took her few minutes alone to rifle through Jack's sea chest and find herself a new set of clothes. The pants were too big and the shirt too loose, but they were a far sight better than the nightshirt. Scanning the room for a mirror, she finally settled on trying to see her reflection in the windows that lined one wall of the room. Standing on her tiptoes, she weaved back and forth until she found the proper angle in the warped and dirty panes. The bruise Tanner had left on her cheek had all but faded, but she could see small lacerations across her neck, face, and arms from her flight through the jungle. Her hair was loose and she lamented the loss of it's length, but that was nothing time wouldn't cure.

Jack walked in, holding a tray of food, and nearly choked with he saw Evangeline in his clothes, contemplating herself in the dark glass of his windows. The clothes were entirely too big on her. The pants rode low on her hips and the front of the shirt dipped low, revealing the enticing swell of breasts. This just wouldn't do. His crew would never get anything done. Forget the crew, he'd never get anything done. He'd be likely to run them all upon a reef from staring at that pretty little ass of hers. Like an upturned heart, it was. Sweet and firm and-

"Captain Sparrow!" Evangeline said crossly and Jack nearly dropped the tray "Just what are you looking at?"

Jack blinked twice and answered without thinking.

"Your ass….suredly too wee to be wearing those clothes. 'Tis not proper."

Evangeline looked at herself in the glass again.

"Like you know the meaning of the word. What's wrong with them?"

Jack stroked his beard and smiled wickedly.

"You have a birthmark low on your left breast," he said smugly.

She gasped and pulled the front of the shirt tighter together, then suddenly let go and stomped her foot.

"You just know that because you looked!"

"True," Jack said, hooking a finger into the front of the shirt and pulling it out so he could peer inside "The shirt is still too low."

Evangeline raised her hand to slap him, but he caught her hand and pulled, bringing her close to him. She found herself staring at the hollow of his throat and looked up, then wished she hadn't. The heat in his eyes was enough to sear. She knew she should be outraged at the liberties he was taking, but wouldn't seem to summon the words to stop him.

"Why were you with Barty," he asked, wrapping his free arm around her and pulled her even closer.

"I, I, I-"

"Were you and he--"

"No," Evangeline said forcefully, backing out of his embrace "He took me from my home, killed a man I've known since childhood…. He. Cut. My. Hair."

Evangeline started to sniffle and Jack's eyes grew wide.

"Woman, I'll stand on me bleedin' head if you won't cry again. I'll shave me beard. I'll cut me own hair. See, this is me looking' for a knife."

Jack began rummaging through cabinets, but instead of a knife, his fingers closed around a bottle of rum. He shoved it towards Evangeline.

"Rum?"

"No, thank you," she said curtly.

"Let me rephrase that then: Rum."

He shook the bottle in front of her face and she pushed it away.

"How is that rephrasing it? It's the same word."

"Yes, but it's a different inflection. A question is inflected up. An order has no inflection. If I inflect it down like this: Ru-um….Well, then I just would like a walrus, but you can clearly see-"

"So, you ordered me, then?" Evangeline asked.

Jack nodded slowly, not at all liking the look that had come across her face. He had seen that same look on men right before they tried to run him through and on women when they were explaining why they had burnt all his rum. Evangeline snatched the bottle from his hand and pulled the cork with her teeth, earning a proud smile from Jack. Then, without any emotion at all, she turned the bottle upside down and began pouring it on the floor. His smile morphed into a look of complete horror as he took the bottle back from Evangeline. She got the feeling that, had he been alone, he would have been on his hands and knees, licking the boards.

"My rum!" he exclaimed "Have ye gone mad! Go back to bein' a boy! Ye were less of a nuisance"

"You drink too much," she countered.

"You harp too much," he said, mimicking her tone exactly.

Evangeline sat down in a huff and put a piece of bread in her mouth. Then, remembering how hungry she was, attacked the tray with gusto.

"I want to go home," she said between bites.

"Where do you live?" Jack asked, sitting next to her and stealing a slice of cheese.

"Montserrat."

Jack clucked his tongue and shook his head.

"No good. Too near Port Royal."

"What's in Port Royal?" she asked.

"Had a bit o' trouble there," he said "Wee misunderstanding between myself, a Commodore, and a length of rope."

Evangeline sat there for a moment, mouth open.

"So you won't take me home! What are you going to do, sell me like Tanner!"

"Couldn't sell ye to anyone who heard you screech like tha' No, I'll take you home, but we'll have to do it stealthy like. I like me neck the length it is."

They sat in silence for several minutes, eating from the same plate. Evangeline became painfully away of his leg pressed against hers and his breath brushing past her ear whenever he leaned down to take a bite. He placed his hand on her knee to reach across and grab his bottle and she nearly came out of her skin.

"I'd like to go to bed now," she said, suddenly standing up.

Jack smiled and leisurely lay back against the bed, clearly enjoying her discomfort.

"Do ye always think of yerself first? What about what Ol' Jack wants?"

"And what is it you want?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I want me rum back."

"The rum is gone."

"I…Why do you bloody women always say that to me? It's not a good thing. Fine, you want to go to bed? Go."

Evangeline watched Jack, who obviously wasn't moving from his place on the bed and sighed.

"Well?" she asked.

"Well, what?" he replied.

"Aren't you going to go?"

"Didn't plan on it. This is my bed. Yours is with the crew."

"But I'm a girl now," she said, narrowing her eyes when he laughed.

"You were a girl before."

"Yes, but that didn't know that."

Jack stood up and straightened himself to tower over her.

"I'm Captain of this ship, not you, and I will sleep in me own bed!"

"Oh, don't try to sound like my father," she said, backing him towards the door "You're not my Captain and you won't tell me what to do. I'll not-"

"I-" Jack started, baffled at how the tables had turned.

"Don't interrupt. I'll not sleep with the crew and that's that."

Jack could tell by the look on her face that that was truly that or there would be hell to pay. He might have cursed her whole sex were it not so lovely, but he made one last bid to keep his bed.

"It gets very cold in here at night. Another body would keep the chill away."

Evangeline opened the door and shoved him out without ceremony, then closed and, finally, locked it. Jack stood there, glaring at the door, cursing her sex despite it's loveliness. Gibbs walked up beside him and gave him a questioning look.

"You were right," Jack said.

"About what, Cap'n?"

"It is bad luck to have a woman aboard."

Gibbs did a strange motion with his hands and stomped his feet.

"What the hell was that?" Jack asked.

"You said," Gibbs answered, lowering his voice "Bad luck. 'Tis bad luck to say back luck. Might set the crew on edge."

Jack shook his head.

"Make heading for Montserrat," he said.

"That's very near Port Royal, Cap'n. Are ye sure that's a good idea?"

If it gets Her-Royal-Highness-Who-Spills-My-Rum out of my bed, it's a good idea."

"Will ye be sleeping with the crew?"

No, I'll be sleeping in my bed. She just doesn't know it, yet."

Jack stood at the helm, drunk and raging. Just who did she think she was? This was his ship, that was his cabin, and she was in his bed! It wasn't right! He had saved her life and then she kicked him out of his own domicile! He checked his heading and realized he had drifted far off course. With a curse, he jerked the wheel hard to the left and the Pearl immediately responded. There was a chorus of cries as men were tossed from their bunks and he smiled, imagining Evangeline being knocked from his bed. Served her right. Bloody woman.

"Cap'n, suppose I take over and you go get some rest. Ye can have my bunk."

Jack looked over to see Gibbs standing there, looking sleepy and disgruntled. He nodded curtly and grabbed his rum, turning control of the ship over to his first mate. Walking towards the galley he suddenly stopped, pivoted on his heel and stalked towards his cabin. He removed a key from underneath his shirt and unlocked the door.

Evangeline woke with a start when Jack slammed the door and was wide awake by the time he had managed to light a lamp.

"I thought I made it clear I was sleeping alone," she said.

Jack regarded her silently for a moment and then waved his hand.

"Move over, that's my side."

Evangeline was as still as stone.

"Move over or I'll move you meself," he growled.

"You're drunk," she stated "And you wouldn't dare."

Jack put his rum on a table, quickly crossed the room, and before she had time to react, had her in his arms and then over his shoulder. She screamed and he reached up to give her a swat on the backside and came in contact with….her backside.

Evangeline cursed silently. She had put the nightshirt back on because she thought she'd be alone. From now on it was pants and pants only around Jack Sparrow. Three pair. Though, from the direction his hand was roving, it was obvious that it would take more than a few pair of pants to keep him away.

"Stop," she said and was disappointed to hear it come out more of a sigh and less that the command she had intended.

"You don't mean that," he said absently, kneading her flesh.

"I do," she nearly yelled when he turned his head to kiss her hip.

She nearly jumped out of his arms when she felt his tongue, wet through the thin cloth, tracing a small circle where his lips had just been.

"Truly?" he asked, his voice liquid with desire.

Evangeline closed her eyes and summoned up all her resolve, praying her voice sounded more sure than she felt.

"Truly," she answered, unwavering.

"Fine," Jack said and he walked around to the other side of the bed and dumped her there with out a word.

He walked back around to his side and began to undress. Evangeline nearly cheered with he took his shirt of and then covered her eyes in indignation when his pants hit the floor.

"What are you doing?" she cried.

"I sleep better this way. Ye don't like it, find another bed."

Evangeline put as much bed between them as she could and huffed angrily.

"Usually when a woman is in my bed, she's not breathing hard from anger," he said.

Evangeline stopped breathing all together and Jack laughed, snaking his arm around her and pulling her the distance back to him. His chest was warm against her back and his hardness was pressed into her. She squirmed, trying to get away, but this only caused him to moan loudly and pull her tighter against him. He pressed his mouth into the sensitive spot where her neck met her shoulders and bit down softly. Evangeline cried out and he took this as acceptance. His other arm reached around and began to slowly inch up the hem of the night shirt. She closed her eyes and tried to will her breathing to even out. His hands stopped at the top of her thighs and she had a moment to consider if she was disappointed that they had stopped at all. She assumed he was giving her a moment to decide if this was what she wanted and she was touched at his propriety. She thought for a moment and then made the biggest decision of her young life and arched back into him.

Jack snored loudly.

Evangeline muttered a few curses and unwound herself from him, taking time to deliver a few well deserved elbows to his chest. Not a one woke him and she pulled all the blankets off of him and ensconced herself within. Making sure he was cold and she was safe from his advances.

"Bloody pirate," she muttered.

Those were the last words she uttered before she fell asleep.

AN: I know, I'm SO mean. Rest of the chapter coming soon. This is all I have typed out so far. Look forward to a battle scene and some of that lemony goodness someone mentioned. J Love to all. Review please.

P.S.--Does anyone want to be my beta? Contact me at 


	6. Chapter 6

AN: Very short. Sorry. Just a bit of smut to tide you all over until I get this chapter finished.

****

Jack woke slowly, reveling in the feeling of having Evangeline wrapped around him. He tried to move very little, if at all, because he knew if she woke to find herself so wantonly sprawled across him, she'd be likely to kill him in his own bed. One of her lithe thighs shifted their position between his legs and he began to harden. His eyes rolled back in his head at the feel of her hot breath against his neck, her cupid's bow lips pressed lightly against the hollow of his throat. Well, if this was how he was meant to go, how glorious it would be. He reached down and inched up the nightshirt past her hips. Then, he grabbed her around the wait and pulled her up his body until her pelvis was cradled against his. The feel of her warmth pressed against his erection was almost more than he could take. Her eyes opened and he prepared himself for the worst, but was startled when the sleepy confusion in her eyes morphed not into rage, but lust. She sat up, moving her thighs to either side of his and braced her hands against his chest. He wound his fingers into her hair and pulled her head down towards his.  
"Evangeline," he said, her name sounding like a prayer on his lips, before he claimed her mouth with his own.  
She moaned against his lips and leaned into the kiss as it went from tentative, to passionate, to soul-searing. She had almost lost herself completely when he raised his hips and the length of him ran against a place that no one, not even herself, had ever touched before. Passion fled and was replaced with blind panic. She pushed herself up and away and he instinctively released her, causing her to tumble backwards off the bed and onto the floor.  
Jack's mind cleared when he heard her hit the boards, but it took him a few moments more to piece together what had happened. He sat up and crawled to the end of the bed. She was half-sitting, holding the edge of the nightshirt tightly over her knees, looking absolutely terrified. Were he not so painfully aroused, he might have laughed. As it was, he was nearer to tears now than he had been in a long time. He sighed and rested his forehead against the blankets, concentrating on all the foulest things his mind could muster up until he had reigned his passion in enough to look at her. They locked eyes and he cursed when he felt himself stir again. What was the bloody girl doing to him? He closed his eyes a few minutes more.  
"Kraken, Kraken, Kraken," he whispered to himself "Monkey Jack, the rum's all gone…."  
When he looked up again, Evangeline looked very concerned.  
"I can't…" she started "I've never….."  
He sighed.  
"I figured that out, love. I'm sorry. I didn't give you enough time to think."  
Or too much time, he admitted silently to himself.  
"Did you hurt yeself when you fell?"  
She shook her head.  
"No, I'll be alright. Shouldn't we, I mean, don't you have to…..steer?"  
He burst out laughing and held out a hand to her, pulling her off the floor.  
"Aye, and you have to scrub. Being a girl now doesn't excuse you from yer duties. You'll continue to pull your weight."  
Evangeline groaned and he put a hand under her chin, making her look in his eyes.  
"Cheer up," he said "If it makes you feel any better, yer the prettiest cabin boy I e'er did have."  
She smiled and then ruefully looked down at herself.  
"What will I wear?" she asked.  
"Nothing at all, if I had my way," he said, enjoying her blush "But I fear the crew would enjoy that too much. Put on what you wore last night."  
"They're too big."  
"I've got the thing for it," he answered "I won't look."  
"Liar."  
"Pirate," he said with a smile.  
Jack went over to a drawer and pulled out a length of iridescent green silk. She knew from sight that it was worth a small fortune and nearly cried out when he took a knife and cut it into to long strips. He walked over to her and wound it several times around her waist, creating a makeshift bodice. He stood behind her and let one of his hand wander to her breasts. She inhaled sharply and waited to see what he would do next.  
"Do you trust me?" he asked.  
He found himself deeply hurt when she hesitated and was surprised at the emotion, but was calmed by her answer.  
"Yes."  
He looped the other length of silk around her waist and twisted the loose ends until his hand and the fabric were knotted against the small of her back, effectively trapping her against him.  
"Trust me," he whispered against the shell of her ear, causing a shudder to course through her body.  
His free hand flattened itself against her stomach and began to slowly move down her torso. She closed her eyes when he reached into her pants and continued down until he pressed the palm of his hand against her curls. He crooked a finger into her wet folds and suddenly her world had new depth, and color, and meaning. He kissed her neck as he grazed his fingers over the little nub that had suddenly become the center of her whole universe. He then bit her neck gently as he slipped a finger inside of her and there was an explosion behind her eyes, a delicious release of pressure from deep inside her. Her knees buckled and Jack held her until she could bear her own weight again. He pulled his hand from her pants and pushed his fingers into her mouth. She ran her tongue along them, simultaneously thrilled and appalled with the way she was behaving.  
"Just a little taste of things to come," he said "As it were."  
He then tied the other length of silk about her waist into a belt and walked out of the cabin without another word and one cocky grin over his shoulder.  
Evangeline put a hand up against the wall to steady herself. She gave herself a few minutes to calm down, then walked blinking into the sun.


	7. Chapter 7

Paul stood at the helm of The Atlas, scanning the waters before him. Despite the ignorance he had played with the thief, he had heard of the Black Pearl, if only in passing. He knew enough to know if the Pearl had a two week head start, there was no catching it. He just hoped they had put into port somewhere along the way. Maybe, just maybe, they had a chance if that was the case. He had grilled his men for as much information about Jack Sparrow as they knew. Needless to say, he was not at all contented that this was the man Tanner was taking orders from. The general consensus was that he was a rogue and a scoundrel and not one to be tangled with in a sword fight. The stories associated with him were so fantastic that he was sure they must be at least half fallacy, but he had been assured of their truth by mean he had never had reason to doubt before. It was all the same to him. The price on Sparrow's head was a hefty one and was paid whether he was delivered dead or alive. If had touched a single hair on Evangeline's head, Paul swore he'd deliver him in pieces.  
"Captain?"  
Paul turned around to face one of his crew. When he had captained, he prided himself on knowing the names of every member of his crew. Now, he was mostly at a loss.  
"I'm not a Captain any longer, it's Admiral now."  
The man visibly straightened.  
"Admiral, sir, about Sparrow…"  
"What's your name, sailor?" Paul asked.  
"Gillette, sir. I had the honor of serving Commodore James Norrington before his….retirement."  
"You mean discharge, I'm sure," Paul said sternly "Please, continue."  
"Yes, well, I've had the misfortune of dealing with Sparrow first hand. He is not one for negotiations. Those that have tried to negotiate with him have ended up retired, if you'll understand me."  
Paul nodded.  
"Might I suggest you take a 'shoot first, ask questions later' view of his capture."  
"Gillette, I will consider your suggestion, but not one shot will be fired until Evangeline is safely on this ship. Do I make myself clear?"  
"Yes, Admiral," Gillette answered "May I carry on?"  
"You may, and be sure to pass my sentiments along."  
"I will sir."

****

Jack had to give her credit, Evangeline had stones. Most society virgins, which she clearly was, would have cowered in his cabin after an encounter such as that, but she came out mere minutes after he did, head held high like some haughty princess. She took her orders from Gibbs and went to work, concentrating on whatever task needed doing. By noon mess, he was sure she was concentrating too hard. She hadn't even glanced his way or acknowledged his presence since she'd emerged from his cabin. Not an easy thing considering he'd put himself in her path more than once. The little nymph was ignoring him! He decided to forgo his normal meal in his cabin and join the crew.  
Walking into the mess, he was amused to see his entire crew bunched up at one end of the table, keeping as much distance between themselves and Evangeline as possible. Jack was surprised Gibbs didn't have them spitting in her shadow. Superstitious bastards! The lot of them had sailed with Elizabeth and that had been….Well, maybe he didn't blame them after all. He collected some food and sat across from Evangeline. HE was amused when she looked up and locked eyes with him, coolly. She might have been the picture of control had she not broken eye contact too quick and a telltale blush didn't crept across her collarbone and continued up to her cheeks. Jack ginned and stroked his beard. This was fun. He leaned back and bit into an apple.  
"Are ye still wet?" he asked.  
Evangeline spit her food across the table and looked at him, horrified. He had to bite his lip to keep from laughing.  
"What?" she managed to say.  
"I said: Are you still wet?"  
Evangeline sputtered.  
"I'm sure I don't know what you mean."  
She cut her eyes to the crew, who were completely oblivious, as if to warn him from saying more.  
"Scrubbing decks can be a soggy business," he said on a smile "I merely wondered if you were still wet or if the sun had managed to dry you out."  
"I'm dry," she said flatly.  
"Pity," he whispered under his breath.  
Evangeline looked up sharply, cheeks coloring again.  
"Excuse me?" she said, her tone more challenge than question.  
"I didn't say a thing," Jack said "About our sleeping arrangements tonight."  
Every single person stopped mid-bite and turned to Evangeline who looked like she was somewhere between deciding to crawl under the table or grabbing the bread knife and gutting him.  
"I though," he continued, ignoring the men "That you might sit with Gibbs on his watch tonight as a navigator. Then you could wake me at dawn for my watch and ye could go to bed.  
Evangeline looked relieved and the men looked disappointed.  
"That will be just fine, I'm sure," she said primly.  
"Good," Jack replied "Meet me in my cabin for dinner. We can dine and I'll go over the charts with you."  
She was properly mortified at this suggestion, not at all sure she wanted to be alone with him again. No, she desperately wanted to be alone with him again, she just wasn't sure she should. It was all she could do to keep from moaning when Jack winked at her on his way out of the mess.

****

His cabin door was open when she came that evening. She carried a tray of food in and he motioned for her to set it on a shelf. She turned to do this and heard the lock on the door turn in the same moment she put the tray down. He gave her no time to think, turning her around, pushing her against the wall, and slipping his knee in-between her legs in a movement that was so effortless, she was sure he must have practiced it all day. He placed a hand on each of her shoulders, holding her fast to the wall, and looked down at her. His eyes were dark and unreadable and she felt her pulse quicken in fear and desire.  
"I don't like being ignored," he said.  
"I wasn't--"  
"Like hell," he interrupted.  
Evangeline suddenly felt like a trapped animal. She looked around for a route of escape and her eyes settled on the tray of food.  
"Aren't you hungry?" she asked.  
"He nodded his head slowly, the hardness in his eyes melting away until they were liquid chocolate.  
"Then don't you want to eat?"  
He shook his head and leaned in and she felt less trapped and more hunted. She tried to go right, but he caged her in with one strong arm. She tried to go left and met with more of the same. He pressed his forehead against hers and smiled languidly.  
"It has nothing to do with food," he said.  
He cursed when he saw confusion flit across her face. She was so damned innocent….Well, he had time to remedy that. He took one of hear hands and placed it against the bulge in his trousers. She tried to pull her hand away and his cock surged forward, seeking the warmth of her palm. When she felt it move, she gasped and closed her hand around it, timidly exploring him through the rough fabric of his trousers. Jack let out a strangled cry and leaned forward. Thinking she had hurt him, Evangeline let go, but Jack caught her hand by the wrist.  
"No," was all he managed to say.  
"He unbuttoned his trousers with one hand, still holding onto her wrist with the other and freed himself. He guided her hand back down and smiled at her in what he hoped was a reassuring manner when her eyes widened.  
Evangeline was surprised at how smooth and soft it was. Soft and hard at the same time, now wasn't that a riddle? She had heard enough about the act of love from the village children growing up that she knew the basics, but when he started guiding her hand up and down his shaft, she was sure they must have gotten the facts wrong. There was no way he'd fit inside her. She could barely close her hands around it, there was so much of him. He must have felt her hesitation, because he stopped guiding her and took her face into his hands.  
"You are so beautiful," he said, the words strangled with lust.  
She opened her mouth to reply and he slanted his down on top of hers. He resumed with his hand atop hers as he kissed her into oblivion. She gently squeezed his member and was rewarded with another cry. He pulled back and looked down at her and she was surprised to see how vulnerable he seemed. Gone was the swaggering Captain and in his place was a man reduced by need to the most basic form of nature. He removed his hand and she continued on without his guidance. He found her heat through her pants and pressed against it. She threw her head back and he suckled on her neck. His breathing became ragged and he pulled away again.  
"Eva," he whispered "Look at me."  
She did.  
"Say my name."  
"Jack," she replied boldly.  
He groaned and closed his eyes.  
"Say you're mine," he said through gritted teeth.  
"I'm yours," she said, surprised that not only was the sentiment given willingly, but honestly.  
His whole body stilled as an animalistic cry emerged from his throat and he came into her hand.  
For long minutes he leaned his head on her shoulder until his reason and breathing returned to normal. When he finally looked up, he pressed his thumb against her lips and smiled when she bit it lightly.  
"Mine," he said.  
Evangeline, who once swore she'd belong to no man felt a swelling of emotion at that simple word. Pride and something more. She found herself near tears with the implication.  
"Yours," she agreed.  
There was a knock at the door and Jack shot daggers at the unseen visitor.  
"Cap'n" came Gibbs' voice from the other side "I'm going to start my watch if Miss Evangeline is ready."  
Jack kissed her on the forehead and turned her towards the door before she could protest.  
"Go," he said "We'll talk later."  
Then he unlocked the door and delivered Evangeline into the night.


	8. Chapter 8

A/N--It seems I forgot the disclaimer a couple of times. I wouldn't want to get sued, so here I go: I don't own Pirates or anything pertaining to them. Disney owns all. Disney the all powerful. (I wonder who he has behind HIS curtain?) I would just like to add for posterity that if Jack Sparrow were real and not just the imagining of Das Mouse that nothing, absolutely NOTHING on God's green Earth could keep me from kidnapping him and locking him away for my own person…..entertainment. And now: On with the show…..

Shortly before midnight, a light rain began to fall. Shortly after, it began to pour. It could have been raining toads and she wouldn't have noticed; all she could think about was Jack. Gibbs cuffed her on the shoulder, not for the first time that night, and hollered at her.  
"Hey, girlie," he cried "What's in yer head? You're supposed to be navigatin'. Navigate!"  
Evangeline apologized and sighed.  
"I don't know how without the stars. That's all he taught me."  
"He'll teach ye more before long, I'll wager," Gibbs said under his breath.  
"Pardon?" she asked.  
"I said: This rain won't be blowin' over till after dawn, I'll wager. Why don't ye turn in?"  
Evangeline nodded in agreement and headed to the cabin. When she got there, she paused with her hand on the doorknob for a long time. Jack was in there and it was still long hours till dawn. She could still find a bunk with the crew, or….  
She threw the door open with much more force than she intended and it hit the wall outside the cabin with a crack that echoed like a gunshot. Jack was still awake, lamps lit, and was reaching for his pistol until he saw who was standing in his door. Evangeline was soaked to the bone, the clothing she wore leaving nothing to the imagination. Her eyes were wild and she seemed unwilling or unable to enter the cabin. He raised an eyebrow and motioned for her to come in.  
She shook her head and it was all he could do to keep from getting up and collecting her. From the way she was breathing, chest rapidly rising and falling, pert little breasts straining against the wet fabric, he knew if he moved, she'd bolt and he'd not get her to return.  
"I don't want to talk," she finally said.  
Jack put his elbows on the desk, tented his hands and cocked his head.  
"What did ye have in mind, luv?" he asked, struggling to keep his voice level.  
With a sigh, Evangeline entered the cabin, closed the door, and then backed up against it. Jack slowly got out of his chair and crossed the room with even, measured steps. When he reached her, he placed his hands on her waist and pulled her to him. He leaned down to kiss her and she stopped him with a word.  
"Jack?"  
"Yes, luv," he all but groaned.  
"When you said I was yours, what did you mean?"  
"I-"  
"Am I your for tonight, a week, how long are we talking?"  
Jack smiled.  
"Are we discussing terms?"  
He tried to kiss her again and she pulled back.  
"I'll not be your Tortuga whore," she informed him.  
Jack stared at her hard for two beats, then removed his hands from her waist and took a step back.  
"Christ," he muttered "You're already planning your trousseau, aren't you?"  
"Not the marrying type then?" she countered.  
Jack swept his hand to encompass his cabin and himself.  
"Do I look like the marrying type?"  
Evangeline could form no answer or retort, the words stuck in her throat like glue. Her eyes burned and she turned her head from Jack so he wouldn't see her tears. Jack turned her back to him with a finger on the chin and kissed her. She returned the kiss, but the passion she'd felt earlier had fled. He pulled back and looked at her, brushing a thumb across her cheek. She leaned into his caress and bit back a sob.  
"Where are you?" he asked.  
"If you can't promise me anything, then you can have me," she said coldly "But it will never be all of me."  
He sighed and pulled her to him in a hug, resting his chin on top of her head.  
"Would it help if I told you I loved you?"  
Evangeline stopped breathing and looked up at him.  
"You barely know me," she said, voice unsure.  
Neither of them said anything for a minute, then Evangeline broke the silence.  
"You love me?"  
Jack smiled.  
"Lust, I know, but his is different. I feel something here," he said and patted his chest with a bejeweled hand "And maybe a little bit here."  
He moved his hand slightly up and to the left. Evangeline snorted and hugged him tight.  
"I'm tired," she said and walked across the room where she got dressed for bed as discreetly as possible.  
Jack struggled to remain calm, knowing any anger he felt was just disappointment. Evangeline crawled into bed and pulled the covers up.  
"I think I'll take my watch early," Jack said tightly.  
Evangeline rolled her eyes and patted the bed next to her.  
"I won't bite," she said.  
"I'm afraid I might," was his answer, but he locked the cabin, undressed and crawled into bed next to her.

****

Evangeline lay there for a long time, trying to go to sleep, but her mind wouldn't let her drift off. She played the days' events over in her mind wondering how so much could have happened so fast. Eventually, Jack began to snore and she opened her eyes. Rolling over, she regarded the Captain with a lover's eye. She longed to reach over and run her hands along the hard planes of his stomach, wanted to trace the twin bullet holes with her fingers and try to kiss them away. Asleep, all the cunning was gone from his face and he was simply beautiful. He loved her. Evangeline played with that idea and began softly to cry. She reached out for him and had almost touched him when he opened one eye. She gasped an pulled her hand back. Jack saw her tears and closed his eyes again, groaning.  
"I didn't do it," he said "And if I did do it, I didn't mean to. And if I did mean to, it seemed like a good idea at the time."  
Evangeline giggled and wiped her tears away with the back of her hand.  
"What are you thinking about?" he asked, rolling over and propping himself up on one elbow.  
"I think I think too much," she said mournfully.  
"I'll attest to that," he said a beat later.  
She smacked his arm and he smiled.  
"Again with the hitting, woman! Pirates who hit their Captain get thrown in the brig."  
"You wouldn't dare," she said, very sure of herself.  
"You're right," he answered "I'll just tie you to my bed and never let you go."  
Evangeline gave an audible gulp.  
"Do you really love me?" she asked.  
"I think I do," he said, sounding very surprised "And what of you?"  
"I don't know," she answered "I've never been in love before. I like the idea of being yours, is that the same thing?"  
He shook his head.  
"No, but it's in the same neighborhood. Though you would have made me a happier man if ye'd just of said yes."  
"I'm sorry," she said.  
Jack shrugged, though the off-hand gesture did nothing to quell the heaviness that had settled in his heart.  
"The heart wants what the heart wants," he said "Never apologize for that."  
"What does your heart want?" she asked after a moment.  
Jack didn't answer, but got up and retrieved one of the lengths of silk she had been using. He wrung whatever water he could out of it onto the floor and climbed back on the bed.  
"Close your eyes," he said and she did what she was told  
He doubled the silk over onto itself and put it up to her eyes. She tried to pull back, but he had the ends tied behind her head before she could make much of a protest.  
"Jack…." she said, voice laced with fear.  
A kiss was his only reassurance. He gently tugged on her bottom lip with his teeth and she leaned into him. Jack reached behind her and grabbed the hem of her nightshirt, lifting it up and over hear head. Instead of pulling it all the way off, though, he left her wrists in the sleeves and twisted the fabric until her wrists touched, held fast. He looped the nightshirt over one of the posts on his bed and made gentle shushing noises when her breathing became erratic. Straddling her hips, he leaned down and kissed her neck biting just below her ear. He reveled in the little mewling noises she was making, knowing he was the cause of them and he was the first to be the cause of them. He pinched on of her nipples between his thumb and forefinger and she made a cry like a bird, arching her back off the bed.  
"Like that, did ye?" he chuckled and dipped his head to her breast.  
He continued to roll one of her nipples with his fingers and sucked the other one into his mouth, alternately licking and biting it. Evangeline had stopped breathing altogether. He laughed against her breast and it rumbled in her chest, making an odd counter-rhythm to her pounding heart.  
"Breathe, luv," he said "Yer no good to me unconscious."  
She gasped in a breath and he began to kiss his way down her stomach, tongue slipping briefly into her belly button. He kissed her hips, the top of each thigh, and pushed her legs apart. She felt his warm breath against her and wondered what he was doing. He placed a kiss against her nether lips and slipped his tongue into her folds.  
Evangeline cried out and turned her hips away. He turned her back and she clapped her legs shut.  
"Have I ever given you reason not to trust me?" he asked.  
"Up till now, no," was her answer.  
He simply clucked his tongue and pushed her thighs apart again. She felt his breath again and then his tongue. He swirled it around her opening and then licked up, flexing it so it rasped and flicked against her clit. Evangeline forgot completely why she was protesting. In fact, she hoped he would continue to teach her a lesson for protesting in the first place. It would serve her right…..  
She wasn't disappointed.  
Robbed of her sight, she was drowning in sensation, not even remotely able to predict what he'd do next. She felt the pressure building up in her lower belly and was near singing with joy because she now knew what came next. Then he moved his mouth. She let out a wordless cry and , had her hands been free, he was sure she would have hit him. He massaged her thighs with his fingers and kissed his way back up her body, giving each breast a reverent kiss, before settling on her mouth.  
She wanted to tell him to go back to what he'd been doing, but she wasn't sure how to ask for it. As if reading her mind, Jack went back to that part of her that was on fire. He pushed on finger into her, then two and she wiggled a little against this new sensation. He began to slowly move his hand inside of her and sucked the nub of her clit into his mouth in much the same way he had with her nipple. He exerted constant pressure on it and in the same moment, bit down gently upon it and curved his fingers ever so slightly upward.  
Her whole world shattered into a million tiny little pieces. She didn't merely see stars, she saw the entire cosmos. Worlds upon worlds and at the center of each was Jack Sparrow.  
When her vision cleared, she realized he had taken the silk from her eyes and was looking at her with unbridled lust. He loosed her hands and looped them around his neck. He pushed into her wet heat and she groaned as she stretched to accommodate his size. He stopped when he reached the barrier that was the testament to her virginity. He leaned his forehead against hers and looked into her eyes.  
"My heart wants you," he said.  
He pushed forward through her innocence and she cried out, fisting her hands into his hair. He stopped, his whole body shaking with the effort to remain still. He kissed away the few tears that had escaped from her eyes and whispered comforting words against her lips. Finally, she wiggled her hips, testing, and he wiggled back. Her eyes grew wide and he took this as his cue to move. He pulled out until only the tip of his cock was in her and plunged back in with as much force as he dared. She threw her head back and arched into him. He increased his pace and she matched his rhythm. He noticed how her skin glowed silver in the half-dark and how his hands looked like hold against it. Silver and gold moving together.  
Jack threw her legs up, hooking her knees on his shoulders and the new angle was too much. She cried out, her release causing his. He have one last, hard thrust and buried himself deep inside her. Fire seemed to course through his veins and he emptied himself into her wet, hot depths.  
He collapsed on top of her and she held his head in her arms. Soon, then both drifted off to sleep.  
Shortly before dawn, there was a knock at the door. Jack awoke and began idly playing with Evangeline's beasts. She smiled drowsily at him.  
"Cap'n," Gibbs called "I'm done with me watch."  
"I'm sick," Jack called back.  
"Cap'n?"  
"I'm dead," Jack yelled, smiling at Evangeline when she laughed softly. He placed a hand between her legs and continued talking to his first mate.  
"Horrible flesh eating disease. Happened during the night. Very tragic. Very sudden."  
Jack could almost hear Gibbs trying to work this out.  
"Oh, for crying out loud, man! Give Cotton the helm. I'm busy."  
"Oh," Gibbs said, understanding, and they heard him walking away, yelling for Cotton.  
Evangeline giggled, then gasped as Jack entered her without warning.


	9. Chapter 9

Paul was pulled from a fitful sleep by frantic pounding on his door.  
"Admiral! Billy's in the nest and he claims to see black sails!"  
Paul shot out of bed and answered the door. His first mate stood there, looking both afraid and excited at the same time.  
"Run up a flag for the other ships to fall into formation. When we catch up, we'll surround the Pearl. I'll go aboard and get Evangeline and after than we can send the ship to Davy Jones, but I want Sparrow and his crew."  
The sailor nodded and went to follow orders and Paul dressed. He gave every appearance of being calm, but could barely get his buttons done, his hands were shaking so bad. Taking his spy glass, he went up on deck.  
"Is it the Pearl?"  
Paul looked up to see Gillette standing next to him, squinting into the distance. Paul raised his spy glass again and took another look.  
"Hard to say," he answered "I can't make out her figurehead from this distance. Plus, she's heading toward us, away from Fiji. But there are those sails…."  
"How long till we cross?" Gillette asked, not taking his eyes off the horizon.  
"Half an hour, I'd wager. You'd do best by checking your battle station. I don't think the Pearl will try to best six ships, but--"  
"But this is Sparrow," sneered Gillette.  
"Exactly, so we'd do best to be prepared. To your station."  
"Aye, Admiral!"  
Paul checked himself for blade and gun and began to pray.

****

Evangeline sat at Jack's desk eating and watching Jack draw up charts. She was ravenously hungry and deliciously sore. Jack had made love to her a final time with the morning sun streaming through the windows so he could take in every detail of her form.  
"What are you doing?" she asked.  
"Plotting a course," he said, walking the sextant across the parchment, looking up long enough to wink at her.  
"Where to?"  
"Ah," he replied "That's a secret."  
"Come on…." she whined, sticking out her bottom lip.  
"No, sorry, highly confidential. Not for a lady's ears."  
Evangeline whispered a few very unladylike suggestions into his ear and he pulled her into his lap. There was a knock at the door.  
"Bloody hell!" Jack yelled "No more door knocking! Go away!"  
"Cap'n," Gibbs called, a strange tone in his voice "We're coming up on a fleet, sir."  
Jack stood up and opened the door.  
"Say again."  
"A fleet, Jack," Gibbs said, looking extremely worried "Six ships. The flagship has run up colors. Their calling for us to surrender."  
Jack ran up on deck, leaving Evangeline in the cabin. Just as Gibbs had said, six ships. Three approaching from the front, three from behind. How the bloody hell had this happened?!  
"Did no one see them?!" he bellowed and every man looked sheepish.  
"Damn!"  
Evangeline walked up next to him and he turned to see all the color drain out of her face.  
"Eva?"  
"That's the Atlas," she said, pointing to the flagship "That's one of my father's ships. It's my father."  
"Your father's ships. Plural? Who's yer da?" he asked.  
"Paul Bryan."  
"Admiral Paul Bryan? Of His Majesties Royal Navy?" he asked, voice going up a notch.  
She nodded.  
"Would have been nice to know, luv."  
"You never asked," she replied.  
He put his arm around her shoulder and kissed the top of her head.  
"Drop anchor!" he called "Run up a flag of truce."  
He turned to Evangeline.  
"Don't suppose you want to say howdy do to yer da and stay on with me?"  
"What are you proposing?" she asked.  
"Proposing," he answered.  
She gaped up at him.  
"Close your mouth," he said with a smile "I wouldn't ask, only I'm pretty sure I'll never find another cabin boy that can bend the way you do."  
Evangeline smiled and pinched him.  
"Ow!" he cried "You're mean….Don't answer now, talk to yer da first."  
She nodded and kissed him passionately. Jack screwed his had on, patted her on the bottom and went to go meet Paul Bryan.  
Evangeline watched as the two ships pulled along side one another. She spied her father's form at the helm and her heart quickened.  
"Daddy," she whispered under her breath.

****

Paul stood at the helm with his first mate, eyeing the form on who could only be Jack Sparrow waving amiably from the deck of the Pearl.  
"Does he think we're coming to tea?" Paul asked and his first mate snorted.  
"Actually, I hear he's quite mad, sir."  
"Evangeline had better be safe or mad is the least of his worries. Throw over the ropes. I'll go aboard. You follow after."  
"Aye, sir."  
Below deck, Gillette watched as the Pearl sidled up to the Atlas. Sparrow's waving form drifted by and he was filled with white hot rage. The man had made him and his superiors look like idiots. He had been demoted and given to new leadership. Bloody Norrington had been discharged. He wouldn't let Sparrow get away with it again.  
He fired his cannon.

****

Paul was halfway between the two ships when the blast occurred. The rope he had been scaling broke loose from the Atlas and he crashed into the side of the Pearl with a bone jarring thud. Jack hit the deck, covering his head as rope, sails, and bits of wood rained down. Neither of them saw Evangeline look up in horror as the top half of the foremast tumbled down towards her. She crossed her arms in front of her face and braced for impact. The whole world went dark.  
Climbing up the rope, Paul threw himself over the rails and thudded to the deck. HE righted himself and saw Sparrow frantically pawing though sails and debris. The cannon had severed the foremast neatly in half and the deck was littered with its remains.  
"Sparrow!" Paul bellowed, drawing his sword.  
Jack turned, looked at him, and resumed his search. Paul walked over and put the tip of his blade at the base of Jack's neck. Jack rose slowly to his feet, hands in the air and turned to face Paul.  
"Where's Tanner?" Paul growled.  
"Killed 'im for touching my girl," Jack answered.  
"Where's Evangeline?"  
"That's exactly what I'm trying to suss out, mate," Jack said, his voice pained.  
There was a groan and they both turned to see a very feminine leg peeking out from under a pile of sails. They both bolted for her, but Paul swung his sword at Jack.  
"Don't touch her!" he yelled.  
Jack drew his own sword and they crossed blades, staring at one another.  
Evangeline backed out from under the sails, checking herself for damage. Finding nothing except a large bump on the back of her head, she turned to see her father and Jack, blades locked together.  
"No!" she yelled "Jack, don't!"  
Jack turned and looked at her, lowering his sword. The Pearl, rocking from the impact of the cannon, tipped slightly and Paul lost his footing. He shuffled forward a few steps and they all looked on in horror as his sword pierced Jack's chest.  
Evangeline screamed and ran forward as Paul pulled the sword out, shocked. Jack looked confused, took two steps back, and fell to the deck. Evangeline fell to her knees next to him and pressed her hands to the wound, willing the blood to stop flowing and looked up at her father.  
"Do something!" she cried.  
"Paul stood rooted to the spot. He'd never seen Evangeline so upset over anything before and the gravity that he'd misjudged Sparrow completely hit him like a gale.  
"Damned Barbossa was right," Jack said.  
"What my love?" she asked, trying to get him to look into her eyes.  
"It is cold."  
His eyes closed and his head fell to the side. Evangeline shrieked.  
"My answer's yes!" she yelled slapping him on the chest "Wake up, damn you, my answer's yes!"  
Paul pulled Evangeline away from Jack and motioned to his first mate to come over.  
"Take him to my cabin, see if there's anything to be done."  
The man nodded and loaded Jack into a longboat. Paul shook the still hysterical Evangeline by the shoulders, but it had no effect. He slapped her cheek and that silenced her She reached her hand to where she had been stuck and looked at her father with wide eyes. Then she hugged him, sobbing.  
"I love him, daddy. Do something."


	10. Chapter 10

And every road I walked would take me down to the sea/With every broken promise in my sack/And every love would always send the ship of my heart/Over the rolling sea--Sting "Valparaiso"

Feeling came first, his chest was on fire and breathing was moderately difficult, but at least he was breathing. Next came sight. He was in a ship's cabin, not his own, that was neat as a pin. His chest was bandaged and he had decided this was not heaven, there was no rum, but it was comfortable, so he ruled out hell as well. He sat up with some difficulty and saw Paul sitting in a wing chair, watching him intently.  
"How are you?" Paul asked.  
"Run through, and you?"  
"Sorry," was his answer,  
There was a long, uncomfortable silence and finally, Paul spoke.  
"You're put me in a difficult position, Sparrow."  
"Ye look quite comfortable to me," Jack said "What do ye mean?"  
"I have to have something to show for this venture. I pulled strings attached to some very frightening men to arrange six ships and full crew in under two days. Tanner would have done, but you did that for me.  
"Do these said 'frightening men' know about me and mine?" Jack asked.  
Paul nodded.  
"Aye, and here's my problem. If I go back empty handed, they'll throw me in debtor's prison and put Amy and Evangeline out. No, Evangeline they'll probably marry off."  
Jack's jaw tensed. Paul noted this and continued.  
"There's your crew, but besides being pirates, I find them a likable bunch."  
"You have a plan," Jack said, smiling.  
"I have a plan," Paul agreed "I hear you specialize in escapes."  
Jack inclined his head a fraction.  
"I've had my share."  
"We'll take you back to Montserrat. Someone from Port Royal will want to come and collect you to take you back to the gallows. If you happen to find a key to your cell before they arrive, that's their loss isn't it?"  
"What do we tell Eva?" Jack asked.  
"That you traded your life for your crews. Repairs are being made to the Pearl as we speak. She'll make it to the next port and full repairs can be made there. Here's where you prove to me what quality of man you are.  
Jack raised an eyebrow.  
"What are your intentions with Evangeline?" Paul asked.  
"I plan to marry her, mate" Jack answered.  
Paul bowed his head and sighed.  
"That's the wrong answer."  
"Excuse me," Jack said indignantly.  
"Evangeline isn't cut out for your kind of life-"  
"You'd be surprised," Jack interrupted.  
"You're not making me like you any more," Paul said "As I was saying, it's not for her. Obviously, I can't help you once you've escaped, you'll be on your own, but you're to leave Evangeline here. Alone."  
"Eva will hate me."  
"That's the way it has to be. It's that or the noose."  
"Can I at least see her?"  
Paul shook his head.  
"The less she knows, the better."  
"Will you tell her I love her, then?"  
Paul looked at him sadly and stood up to leave.  
"Why make it any harder than it's already going to be?" he asked and opened the door without another word.  
Behind him, Jack could see two armed guards and no Evangeline. The lock turned and Jack sunk back to the bed, the threat of tears stinging his eyes.  
"Bugger."

****

Evangeline was locked in her cabin. Her father had actually locked her in! HE had left out one of her favorite dresses for her, but she had only spent five minutes in it before she felt smothered and had changed back into the trousers and shirt. After that, she just sat there and seethed.  
Paul walked in after a while and shook his head when Evangeline didn't even mister up a smile to greet him.  
"We're moving," she said, ice dripping from each word.  
"Aye, I've ordered them to sail for home."  
"The Pearl?"  
"Free to sail thanks to their Captain."  
Color rose in Evangeline's cheeks.  
"Where is Jack? How is he? What did you mean by that?"  
"Jack is in my cabin, under lock and key," Paul said.  
"Sounds familiar…."  
"You're free to go as of now, but you're not to see Sparrow, so don't even try. He's going to be fine, for now."  
"For now?" Evangeline asked, a dangerous edge creeping into her voice.  
"He has decided to spare his ship and his men by turning himself in. He'll remain in the fort jail until someone from Port Royal can come fetch him."  
"And then?"  
"And then he'll receive a fair trial and--"  
"And they'll hang him!" Evangeline cried, tears springing to her eyes.  
Paul sighed.  
"That's generally the way of it with Pirates."  
Evangeline picked up a bottle of ink from the desk and hurled it against the wall of the cabin. It shattered and the dark liquid pooled on the floor, staining the wood.  
"I'll take this ship apart board by board," she hissed "If that's what it takes to save him."  
"You'll do no such thing," Paul roared "And I will lock you in here if I have to."  
"Do it," Evangeline said "It's the only way you'll keep me from him."  
Paul tried to hug her, but she pulled away.  
"You'll feel better when we get home," he said sadly and locked the door behind him.

****

The sun rose red on Montserrat. Paul stood next to Jack on the deck of the Atlas, which was empty except for them. There was no wind, no sound except the occasional creak of the ship as she rocked with the sea. The calm didn't seem to suit the feelings Jack was struggling with. Never before had he been forced to choose between his neck and his heart.  
"Not a good sign," Jack said, nodding towards the horizon "A red dawn."  
"Do you see anything good coming out of this situation?" Paul asked as he fastened the shackles on Jacks wrists.  
"Honestly, no. How's Eva?"  
"Spitting mad," Paul answered, the corners of his mouth turning up into a wry smile "I'm half tempted to have someone guard my door tonight. I wouldn't put it past her to try and kill me in my bed.  
Jack chuckled.  
"Tha's my girl."  
Paul looked at him sharply and tugged the chains, causing Jack to walk forward.  
"She's not your girl any longer and you'd do well to remember that. The official from Port Royal will be here in two days time. Seems their eager to come and get you. He will dine with my family before coming to the jail and all but one of the guards, who will be at the north east entrance, will be invited. There's a door three cells down from yours. The key is a master and will open it. Take the right passage as far down as it will go. Then left until you come out on a beach. It's in a cove protected from the view of the fort until you're in open sea. I'll keep everyone looking for you until you've had time to clear. There's a skiff there on the beach. It's not my fault whatever happens to you after that."  
Paul pressed a key into Jack's palm and Jack immediately secreted it from sight.  
"You lose that," Paul said "And there won't be another."  
Jack nodded that he understood.  
"Just curious 'bout something." Jack said.  
"Yes?"  
"Earlier, when they brought that bloke up from the brig, was that Gillette?"  
Paul nodded.  
"He was the one who shot the cannon. He'll be court marshaled for insubordination and whatever else I can get to stick. He's under house arrest, so you won't see him at the jail. He seemed rather worried you two might have to share a cell."  
"Trust a git like him to cause all this trouble," Jack said and let himself be led away."

Evangeline entered her room, her mother two steps behind her. She found it disturbing that everything that should be so familiar was now so strange. She looked over to the bed in the corner, and finding it empty, turned to her mother.  
"Where's Sarah?" she asked.  
Amy sighed and sat Evangeline down.  
"She passed away, my love."  
"What?!"  
"She was old….and the shock of your being kidnapped just….took it out of her. She was ill for about a week and passed in her sleep."  
Evangeline began to cry, this new information too much for her already strained nerves.  
"She's buried in the family plot it you want to visit," Amy said, her voice cracking "We buried her in silk. A king's ransom. She'd be happy."  
Evangeline smiled slightly and leaned on her mother.  
"Are you alright," Amy asked "Truly?"  
Evangeline shook her head.  
"Anything you want to talk about?"  
She shook her head again.  
"In time, then," Amy said and kissed Evangeline on the forehead. "You rest tonight, tomorrow I'm sure people will be dropping by all day to see you."  
"To gawk, you mean," Evangeline said crossly.  
"Evangeline, there are people here who love you and missed you very much, no matter what you think."  
Evangeline wiped the tears from her eyes and nodded.  
"I'll have your meals sent up, give you time to settle in."

****

Night had fallen and Evangeline was pacing in her room, torn between duty and love. Her father had returned several hours before and had made no attempt to come speak to her. Not that she would have let him, but--  
Evangeline let out a loud sigh and looked out the window. The village was dark except for the fort up on the cliffs. Jack was there. Her mind played back every moment she'd spent with him since he'd welcomed her aboard the Pearl, still thinking she was a boy and she made a decision. She threw open her wardrobe and dug through it until she found a bodice she'd outgrown several years earlier. She unbuttoned Jack's shirt nearly to her navel and pulled the bodice over it. She tightened the laces until she heard them creaking and still there was an inch of flesh showing between the two pieces of fabric. Her breasts were spilling out of the top and she pulled them out just a little more. She tied a sash from on of her dresses around the top of the pants and opened the window.  
"It's not that far down," she whispered to herself.  
There was a little voice inside her head going: Wrong! Wrong! Wrong! She used to scale this wall all the time as a child. Granted she was smaller, lighter and braver then….She took a deep breath, grabbed a cloak, and began to climb.

****

Paul sat in his study for several hours pondering what to do about Evangeline. He'd cry peace with her, but he had a feeling she'd have none of it. Still, he had to try. He walked up the stairs and knocked on her door.  
"Evangeline?" he called when he got no answer.  
No answer again. He tried the door and found it locked. Pulling a key out of his pocket, he opened the door and it took him all of two second to deduce what had happened. Open window. No Evangeline.  
"Damned Sparrow," me muttered and headed for the fort.

****

Evangeline entered the fort and headed to where she knew they were keeping Jack. She turned the corner and ran into two guards, both of them drunk. They pulled their pistols out and she pushed the cloak away from her face. The lowered the guns and tried to hid the bottles they each were holding.  
"Miss Bryan," one of them said "We have orders not to-"  
"Damn your orders," she spat "And damn the man who gave them to you."  
Both men paled under her fury.  
"Unlock the cell," she ordered.  
"We can't" said the other "We'd be in there with him if we did."  
"Unless you want my father to know you're both in your cups while on duty, I'd suggest you open the blasted door."  
"Miss Evangeline…."  
Evangeline pulled her cloak off and let it drop to the floor. The two guard gaped at her appearance and she smiled seductively.  
"A woman learns a few thing among pirates, gentleman," she said walking towards them "He's to be hanged in two days and I'd like to say goodbye. Properly."  
The guards blushed, but Evangeline continued.  
"You unlock that door and give us some privacy and after I'll find you two and we'll have a….drink."  
One took his keys out and unlocked the door.  
"You go to the northeast entrance," she said to the one who unlocked the door "You go to the other. I'll come find you in a while."  
They both scurried off and Evangeline opened the door. She stepped down into a dank , windowless room. Her eyes took a moment to adjust to the dark and she made out Jack's form, asleep in the corner. She walked over to him and nudged him with her toe.  
"You know," she said "They say only guilty men sleep when they're in jail."  
"Evangeline?"  
He leapt up and gathered her to him, smothering her in kisses.  
"I may end up in here with you," she said "I didn't plan anything after this part."  
"Where are the guards?" he asked.  
"I sent them away."  
"How the bloody hell did you manage that?"  
She gestured down at herself and he laughed.  
"Oh, I like this," he said, hooking his finger into the bodice and pulling her towards him.  
She smacked his hand away.  
"We'll have time for that later. Right now we need an idea."  
Jack held the key up with a smile.  
"The door's already open, Jack," she said, exasperated.  
He walked out of the cell and made a follow me gesture. Jack counted down three cells and unlocked the fourth door. They looked into a tunnel. It had been carved out of the cliffs. The walls were dripping with moisture and it was dark. Jack shuffled his feet and the sound echoed. He pulled Evangeline in, closing the door, and the darkness became complete. Feeling his way along the wall, he took what he hoped was the right corridor and they began their descent into the darkness.

****

Jack and Evangeline emerged onto the beach and it was all Jack could do to keep from cheering.  
"Yer da said there'd be a skiff round here somewhere," he said pulling her towards the waterline.  
"My father?" she asked, struggling to keep up."  
"Who do you think gave me the key, luv?"  
Paul stepped out of the darkness, pistol raised.  
"Let her go," he ordered.  
Jack released Evangeline's wrist.  
"It was her idea, mate."  
Paul lowered his pistol and looked at Evangeline who nodded. He sighed and sat down on an outcropping of rock, putting his head in his hands. Anger fled Evangeline then, seeing her father look so defeated.  
"Father," she said "Do you remember when I was eight and you told me you'd get me the moon if I only asked?"  
Paul looked up and nodded.  
"I'm asking."  
Paul sighed and stood up, turning to Jack.  
"How far are you willing to go for her?" he asked.  
"As far as it takes," Jack answered.  
Paul reached into his pocket and pulled out a leather satchel, which he threw at Jack. Jack caught it and unwrapped the thong that held it closed. Inside was a thick stack of pound notes in several denominations. Jack looked up in surprise.  
"There's enough there for food and clothing," Paul said "And passage, and a wedding, and some left to set up a household if you spent it wisely.  
"Passage," Evangeline asked.  
"I must be crazy," Paul answered. "But I have an idea."


	11. Chapter 11

The weather vane/It's silver tongue/Lulls the world/With heathen song" Elysian Fields "Black Acres"

Dungaravan, Ireland - One Year Later

Evangeline stood in the window, letting the cool sea air blow her hair away from her face. Drying her hands on her apron, she turned back into the house and set the table for dinner. The house had been Sarah's. Having no other family at the time of her death, she'd left everything to Evangeline's parents. There was some land attached to it, which she used for gardening and keeping a small flock of sheep. Set away from the town, the house was on a cliff over looking the sea. She was gloriously happy. Jack, she worried, was another matter.  
He had caused quite a stir when they arrived in the small, Catholic market town. His exotic appearance had earned them suspicious stares every time they left the house. Given the conditions of their arrival there, they both decided the less attention they drew to themselves the better. He cut his hair and shaved his beard and began wearing the plain broadcloth clothes they sold in town. They started going to church and soon they made friends and the priest asked them every Sunday when they'd bless the parish with children. To anyone who cared, Jack and Evangeline Kenny were fine, upstanding citizens.  
Jack worked at the docks, loading and unloading the ships that came there with goods. She had hoped the close proximity to the ocean would quell the need in him to wander, but lately she had seen the joy leave his eyes. He was still a kind and attentive husband, but he seemed….less than he used to be. She had recently been very startled to discover he smelled different. He used to smell like salt and spice and sandalwood, but that had been replaced by a darker, loamy smell. It reminded her of the earth she turned in her garden. Terrestrial, rich, solid, but not Jack. Her friend Siobhan had told her two weeks ago that her husband had seen Jack at the docks looking very excited, handing a piece of paper to a man there. When she asked about it, he shrugged it off and had refused to talk about it since. He had been acting strange since then, too. Spending more time at the docks and always gazing out the window. One night, a week ago, he had come home extremely happy, but wouldn't tell her why. She even thought she'd seen him throw something into the fire, but he'd denied it. Truth be told, she was sure she was losing him.  
Evangeline sat down at the table and began her dinner alone. Jack should have been home an hour ago, but lately it was after dark when he got in. There was still a few hours left in the day. She sighed and got up to put Jack's plate in the rubbish bin.  
Just then, Jack burst through the door, looking wild. Evangeline put the plate down and he grabbed her by the wrist, pulling her outside.  
"Jack!" she protested.  
When they got outside, he stopped and turned her to face him.  
"Would you follow me if I asked you to?"  
"Of course," Evangeline answered.  
"How far?" he asked.  
"Jack, I'd follow you to the ends of the world and back."  
"Funny you should mention that."  
She gave him a questioning look and he turned her towards the sea.

There were black sails on the horizon.

"What if you slept? And what if, in that sleep, you dreamed? And what if, in that dream, you went to heaven and there plucked a strange and beautiful flower? And what if, when you woke, you still had that flower in your hand? Ah, what then?" Samuel Taylor Coleridge


	12. A Thanks and a peek at The Sequel

I wanted to personally thank everyone who has read and reviewed this story. It was started clear back in 2007 and wasn't finished until sometime until 2008. Being my first attempt at a fanfic, it holds a special place in my heart, but also I look back on it and cringe at some of the rookie mistakes I made. Over the next couple of weeks, I'm going to be redoing this story. Mostly just cleaning up typos and the like, but also (possibly) fleshing it out a bit more. I haven't decided yet whether I will be replacing the old chapters with the new or reposting the story in a whole new thread (I'm open to your opinions on the matter), but I hope you will be willing to read it again once I'm done. Also, when I originally finished this in 2008, I immediately began writing a sequel, but never finished it. I still have the first few chapters of that sequel and when I finish the revamping of _Nightmares_, I fully intend to continue on with the sequel. It's called _The Children of Prometheus_ and I had planned for it being an epic fic involving a ghost ship, the Fountain of Youth and, of course, Jack, Evangeline, and the Black Pearl. What has been written on it may be changed in the course of redoing _Nightmares,_ depending on how much I revamp the story, but to thank you for your support I thought I'd give you a teaser and post the prologue here. Forgive the typos if there are any and SPEAKING OF TYPOS **I'd love a good beta** to help me clean up _Nightmares_. I love you all, you keep me writing! And here's the prologue for The Children of Prometheus.

Prologue

**Prometheus is reaching for the stars, with an empty grin on his face - Arthur Koestler**

**Lo! Let the night be solitary, let no joyful cry be heard in it. Let them that curse that day who are ready to awake the Leviathan. - Job 3:8**

****

_The Chanceux, 100 years ago_

There are certain corners of the world best left unexplored. Places where not only do the laws of man not apply, but the laws of nature seem suspended as well. Rivers run uphill, time turns back, and creatures that belong in dark dreams rise out of the maw of night to greet you face to face. Every sailor knows this and most try to give these places wide berth, crossing themselves when they pass too near. This, however, does not stop that handful of men who will risk everything for the glint of gold and the thrill of victory. These men will go anywhere and try anything in pursuit of what is most precious to them. Captain Aristide St. Pierre was such a man and what was most precious to him was Life.

Those who knew him well often say it is a surprise that so much came from so little. It was a laugh between them, for the jibe could have referred either to his short stature or his low birth as the son of a whore and an unknown nobleman. Many a sailor had rested between his mother's thighs and because of that, he found his love of the sea. He spent his childhood taking odd jobs at the docks, anything to escape from the scandals of his mother, and learning what he could from the men who put into port there. He grew into a devastatingly handsome man with thick black hair and bright blue eyes, his lack of height belied by the broadness of his shoulders and the strength of his limbs. He captained his first ship at eighteen and never looked back.

This sentiment, however, was never expressed to his face. Once, a boson made this mistake, while in his cups and St. Pierre had returned to the ship minus a boson and with a bloodied blade. It was this quick temper and an eye for good character that made him such a good Captain. He ran a tight ship and took no excuses, but treated loyal sailors with fairness. A privateer before he left his twenties, France called him a hero and England called him a pirate. It was during this privateering, when he and the crew of the Chanceux took a Greek merchant vessel, that he first laid eyes upon the map. His map. Since then, he sailed for his own agenda, using the crown's backing as a means to an end. As of tonight, he was finally nearing that end.

****

In warm, heathen seas, he was pushing his ship through a tempest so violent that it was impossible to tell where the sea ended and the rain began. The wind was bruising and in it each man could hear Death calling their name. Sailors had lashed themselves to their posts, unable to hold on any longer, but unwilling to desert and face the Captain's wrath.

St. Pierre held onto the helm, his bulk straining against the confines of his shirt, and leaned into the gale. He laughed as the ship crested a massive wave and bottomed out in the trough with a stomach turning drop. Every man besides the Captain held their breath until the Chanceux met the sea again with a mighty thud. Above the Captain's laughter and the howl of the winds rose a new, more dreadful sound: The sound of ropes reaching their breaking point.

The first mate scaled the deck, which was tilted at an alarming angle and came up next to St. Pierre, holding fast to whatever he could.

"Captain," he cried "Pull in sail or we'll never make it out of this!"

St. Pierre turned to regard his first mate and the detachment in his eyes made the man wonder if the Captain hadn't gone a little mad.

"Next port they came to, if they made it to the next port, he'd put in and find another vessel to sail out with," he thought to himself. "There was adventure and then there was this."

St. Pierre blinked and recognition flooded his features, as if he was seeing his first mate for the first time after a long absence. The man took it as a good sign and pressed him again.

"Shall I give the order to pull in, sir?"

St. Pierre looked at him like he was a bug that needed to be put under boot and gave his head an exaggerated shake.

"To hell with ye!" he cried "We're too close, ye yellow bellied sons of whores. To hell with all of ye!"

The first mate was about to breach decorum and give the Captain a stern upbraiding when he caught movement out of the corner of his eye. He turned and cried out, drawing St. Pierre's attention to it. St. Pierre grinned like a starving man offered a banquet while the first mate looked on in horror. Through the rain, they could see what looked to be in one instant a wall, and in the next a bank of fog. The entity, whatever it was, seemed like it couldn't decide if it wanted to be solid or not. The first mate crossed his arms in front of him, bracing for impact, and the Captain began his mad laughter anew. The bowsprit pierced it like a lance and with a soft "whump", they passed through.

Silence.

The air was cold and the stars above had shifted their positions. It was as months had passed or they had gone from tropical summer to northern winter in a matter of seconds. There was a strange sound, like the sound of glass breaking, only muffled through a blanket. St. Pierre looked up to see a sheet of ice creeping up the sails until they had frozen solid.

This was it! He had found it!

"Zeus, ye bastard!" he called out, madness tinting his voice "Look! I found it! The impossible? Ha!"

Be broke into hysterical laughter, holding his side and men began to unlash themselves, looking around in wonder.

"Look!" one man said, and puffed his breath out.

It immediately crystallized and fell, like a miniature snow flurry, to the deck.

"What manner of devilry…" the first mate started and then turned on the Captain in a rage. "Where the hell have you taken us to? One minute we're fighting a tempest in warm seas and now it's bloody freezing and we're where? Where?! I haven't felt cold like this since we sailed near Greenland!"

The Captain looked at him, but didn't see him. He continued laughing, though it was quieter now, and began mumbling to himself.

"Bastards said I couldn't find it. Said it wasn't meant to be found. Said it didn't exist at all. Unnatural….Unnatural? Ha! Here it is and it is real. I FOUND IT!!! D'ye hear me, ye interfering bastard?!"

St. Pierre shook his fist at the sky and the first mate pushed him out of the way with a sound of disgust. Grabbing the helm, he checked the compass, but it was spinning wildly and the stars were of no use because he wasn't sure where or even when they were. With a mighty sigh, he started to turn the wheel in the direction he hoped they had just come from when one of the sailors cried out behind him.

"Land!"

The first mate looked up and there, in this desolation of ice, was a sight that didn't make sense. A small island showed itself in the moonlight, though he would have sworn it wasn't there moments ago. The beach was almost non-existent, the ocean practically coming to the foot of tall cliffs that shone like alabaster in the night. From over the top of the cliffs peeked vegetation that was obviously lush and should not grow in temperatures such as these. In the center of the island, it's base hidden by the cliffs, was a mountain, greenery winding up its side.

The first mate kicked St. Pierre, who was sitting on the deck, smiling like an infant at the island.

"Damn you man! What have you brought us to?"

"Mind the spit," St. Pierre said absently, pointing.

The first mate turned and saw the sandbar they were almost n top of and turned the wheel violently. The ship skidded past and at this close distance, he could see the surface of the sandbar didn't look like sand at all….Rather like scales….

The sandbar moved.

Rising out of the water was a creature that stilled the voice of every man, save the Captain, who took up cursing whatever it was. Its head rose until it was taller than the mast, a serpentine body still trailing in the water. A crest ran along its back and swayed in the slight breeze. The body seemed to shift colors in the night: black, blue, green, black again, but it was the eyes that gave all pause. Two giant orbs the color of the rising sun regarded them all with cold interest. Without a sound, its head dipped under the water and chaos broke out on the ship. Every man cried out to his own god and did what he thought would save him. Some prayed, some raged, some armed themselves against the beast, some turned their weapons on themselves. The silent bulk of the beast approached the ship and the first mate turned to St. Pierre.

"What is that?!"

"Leviathan," St. Pierre answered calmly.

"What's on that island," the first mate asked, sounding defeated.

The Captain's eyes filled with greed and he rose to his feet.

"Life," he said, pounding on fist above his heart.

The beast didn't attack the ship, but circled it instead. Occasionally, its scales would brush the side of the ship with a sound like an amplified death rattle. Faster and faster it swam, around and around until the water surrounding the ship began to churn and finally, caved in on itself. The ship shuddered in the resulting whirlpool and began slowly to turn. In mere seconds, the force of the whirlpool pulled it under. It surfaced once and then disappeared beneath the black sea.

The water became calm with unnatural speed as the creature swam back to wherever was its home. Under a frigid, green moon, St. Pierre's body bobbed to the surface. He still wore a slight smile upon his face, though it was a smile of victory and not madness. Intricate patterns of frost danced their way across his open, sightless eyes.


End file.
